The Lost Changeling
by GoldenRose29
Summary: Years after the show, a visitor shows up in the Crystal Empire; Lysandra. She claims to be the daughter of Queen Chrysalis and Shining Armor, fleeing from her mother's torture. But secretly she is plotting the downfall of Equestria. Then something she never planned on happening occurs. She begins to like Shining Armor's family. Will Lysandra's heart change or will she remain lost?
1. Lysandra

Chapter One: Lysandra

The Crystal Empire shone brightly in the sun, the tall castle standing over it all, its top tower looking like a second sun. A train pulled into the station at the edge of the empire, dropping off many ponies, some tourists, others crystal ponies returning home. Everywhere you looked you could see loved ones embracing and fillies skipping around.

At the edge of the platform, I crept up. The cloak hiding my body and dangling in front of my face to hide it the shadows made it hard to see. I had to keep tilting my head so I could see where to put my hooves. The whole time I kept cursing Mother for making me wear the stupid thing.

I carefully crept past the crowds, their emotions radiating off of their pastel bodies. I sensed a mother meeting her daughter somewhere on the platform. A little further away was a couple saying goodbye. And even further was a father forcing his son onto the train for a visit to grandma. But I had learned a while ago to filter it out. Instead, I walked determinedly into the city, down the streets, past all the fillies playing and mares shopping for new hats.

It was not long before I reached the palace, the Crystal Heart glowing from its pedestal underneath the castle. I paused. So many stories revolved around this gem, some myths, others facts. For all the talk of its majesty it was actually quite small. About as tall as my face.

I turned away and focus on the door. Two guards with purple coats and minty green manes stood in front of it, looking ahead, armor strapped across their bodies. I approached slowly. I did not want to seem like a threat.

"Excuse me," I asked. "I need to see the prince, Shining Armor."

"Shining Armor is busy. You need to see him, wait for visiting hours on the weekends," one of the guards replied. His voice was low and hard, causing the much smaller pony to take a step back. "Move along."

"Please, it's urgent," I begged. I'd perfected my 'I mean well' voice years ago. It sounded high and screechy to my ears but Mother had said it was perfectly sweet.

"Urgent. Sure," the other guard scoffed. "Who are you anyway?"

"Um….my name is Lysandra," I answered hesitantly. My name used to make changelings shake, if they hadn't recognized me already. But now the guards just blinked. There was something fun about that. "I'm a messenger. And I have news of a threat. One he's familiar with. Please."

The guards exchanged a look.

"What kind of threat?" the first inquired, narrowing his eyes.

"It's about….Chrysalis," I told them, whispering so no one would near would hear. The name felt weird on my tongue.

The guards exchanged another look and they shrugged.

"Alright," the second guard sighed. "Follow me."

He reached behind him and pushed open the wide door. I followed him into the shining hall. Now, I had expected to hate this palace. I had lived in a dark place nearly my whole life. But this place….the walls were the palest white with gold decorating the walls. Blue crystal columns rose against the walls, glittering under the crystal lights. The ceilings soared overhead and the floor under my black hooves sparkled. I wanted to look around, at everything and anything. But the guard was moving right ahead at a rather fast clip so I followed after him, nearly trotting to catch up with him, forcing myself to remember my task.

He led me to a purple double door and pushed it open. Inside was a sitting room with a dangling chandelier and many fancy chairs. I hesitantly entered and stood by the rich wooden table that was adorned with a carving of a heart. It wasn't a trap, was it?

"I will go fetch the prince," the guard said, then left, leaving me to look around and examine the room.

There was a fancy purple carpet under my hooves that felt softer than feathers. Each chair was embroidered with golden thread, all incorporating a heart design. I supposed it was due to the Crystal Heart, this kingdom's apparent mascot.

"Here she is, your highness," the guard mumbled as he bowed outside of the room.

I spun around and watched Shining Armor enter. My heart suddenly sped up as she looked at his mane, streaked with many shades of blue, his gleaming white coat, and dark blue eyes. Behind him was his wife, Princess Cadence, with her perfectly curled mane of yellow, purple, and pink, and her golden tiara. I noticed her cutie mark, the Crystal Heart, and nearly rolled my eyes. That frickin' gem was everywhere!

The door shut and I glanced over at the pair of guards standing by them.

"Uh, you may not want your guards here," I advised. Shining Armor's blue eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" Cadence asked.

"Unless you trust them not to gossip about what I'm about to tell you," I explained with a shrug. Shining Armor and Cadence glanced at each other, speaking in that way that married couples do.

"Leave us," Shining Armor told them. The guards seemed offended but they obeyed all the same. "Now, what is this message. I was told you had information about Chrysalis? She hasn't shown her face since we reformed the changelings."

"I know. And my message isn't really about Chrysalis specifically," I admitted, shuffling my hooves. _Remember the plan; sweet and innocent_. Shining Armor narrowed his eyes.

"Who are you, anyway? Why are you wearing that?" he demanded.

"I'm wearing it because I didn't want to cause a huge fuss as I journeyed to the palace," I explained. "And I'm…."

I used my magic to encase the dingy cloak with my dark green aura, tossing it to the side, revealing myself. While Shining Armor and Cadence's eyes widened, I stared at the floor, not wanting to know what they thought of me. I knew I wasn't exactly a sight for sore eyes. But I didn't want to see if they thought me truly ugly.

Both Shining Armor and Princess Cadence took a step back and I pretended not to notice.

"What….?" the stallion gasped.

"If you don't mind my asking, what are you?" Cadence asked. Her voice was kind. I almost gasped in surprise. The prettiest princess in Equestria wasn't shrinking away from me.

"I'm Lysandra, daughter of Queen Chrysalis," I admitted, shuffling my hooves nervously. That fact alone, in this land, could warrant my arrest. But fact of my other parent, my father, may save me. "And Shining Armor."


	2. Welcome

**So this story takes place roughly 15 years after where the series is now. I tried to keep it as close to the canon as possible but it'll probably end up becoming an AU because I guessed something wrong. The main focus will be on Shining Armor and Cadence's family instead of the mane six, just an fyi.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Chapter Two: Welcome

"What? How?" Shining Armor stuttered.

"You?" Cadence gasped. "And….and Chrysalis?! That doesn't even make sense!"

"I….I was conceived when she was disguised as you, Princess," I explained, trying to appear apologetic. Really, I had never thought of her reaction until now. And it was actually kind of funny.

"So you…. And you never told….," Cadence muttered, looking at her husband. "Oh, we are _not_ done talking about this."

Shining Armor gulped and nodded hurriedly before he looked back at the mare claiming to be his daughter. "I don't fully understand."

"Well, after you defeated my mother she realized she was pregnant. She's actually the first changeling to give a natural pony birth. All other changelings are hatched from eggs," I sort of laughed.

"But the reforming. All the changelings are good now. How did you escape?"

"I was very young when Starlight and bunch attacked," I continued. This I knew by heart. Mother loved to rant about this attack, especially when she had just sucked some pony dry and was drunk on love. "During an attack, all the young changelings are kept in the nursery in the lowest level of the hive. Nanny, a changeling, watched over us. After mother was defeated, she snuck us all out and we moved to another hive."

" _Another_ hive?" Shining Armor repeated.

"We have backups all over Equestria," I admitted, squashing the pride I felt at how prepared and organized we had been. "In fact, I can show you where they are, give you the locations."

"So why are you here, Lysandra?" Cadence inquired. "Did Chrysalis send you?"

"No, I swear!" I exclaimed, lying through my teeth. "She _hates_ me. I….I look different than the others. I'm not normal…. No, she would never send me anywhere. So I ran away. And she'd always told me about my dirty rotten father. I wanted to find him, see if she was _right_ about him."

"Won't she notice your absence?" Cadence continued.

I shook my head, my eyes sad. Of course I was faking. Of course Mother would miss me. "Not really. She'll realize I'm gone and probably switch hives for safety reasons but she will not try to get me back. She _never_ cared for me."

Big tears filled my eyes.

 _Please let this work._

* * *

Cadence gestured to Shining Armor and they took a few steps back to talk without Lysandra overhearing.

"Well?" his wife prompted him.

"Well what?"

"What do you think? Come on, Shining, I know you're thinking something."

"She's clearly Chrysalis's daughter."

"And yours," Cadence admitted. "She has your mane."

"Hmph. She still could be lying. Chrysalis could have sent her."

They glanced over at her drying her tears before they continued their conversation. Cadence felt her heart break looking at the young mare. She was so lost and she clearly just needed a little love.

"I don't think so, Shining. Just look at her. And even if she is, isn't it better to keep a dangerous spy close?"

"I suppose. And if she truly can give us information on how to capture Chrysalis….after all these years she could finally come to justice."

"Do you think we should tell anypony else about her?"

"Not yet," Shining Armor advised. "I don't want to spread confusion yet."

"Alright."

* * *

Cadence and Shining Armor quickly stopped their whispered conversation. I knew it was about if they wanted to keep me or not. I wasn't stupid.

"Dear, would you like to stay in the palace for a while?" Cadence asked.

"Really?" I gasped, looking up at the princess. _I did it!_ "Really, really?"

"Of course," Cadence laughed. "You are Shining's daughter. And we would love for you to stay."

"Thank you so much!" I exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. She bounced on the tips of her hooves, barely able to contain her joy. And it wasn't fake. "Thank you!"

"Shining will take you to your room."

"Cadence….," the stallion whispered to his wife.

He didn't want to spend time with me. His _mistake_.

"That way he can get to know you better," she finished, smiling. "Now, I'm off. You two have fun!"

Cadence pecked Shining's white cheek, smiled once more, then left, leaving the stallion to stare at me. His daughter. His unwanted child.

"Well….I, uh….," he stuttered.

Odd. He had once been the captain of the Royal Guard. I didn't realize I would be able to rattle him this much. Oh well. Even better for me.

"If you don't mind, you should probably wear your cloak throughout the halls. I don't want you causing a fuss around the empire."

"Oh. Well, will you tell everyone who I am?" I wondered as I used my magic to cover myself with my cloak, pulling the hood far over my face, hiding myself.

"Eventually," Shining Armor promised. "I just need to check a few things."

"Making sure I'm not a spy?" I prompted as he opened the door and we entered the halls. The guards were standing just outside the room but Shining Armor gestured for them to leave. Clearly he did not want to be overheard.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I would have been stupid to think you would just blindly accept me," I chuckled, being very frank with him. "I know it will be a while before you trust me."

"Of course. I'm glad you're so smart."

"Must have got it from you."

I pretended not to notice the way he flinched at the reminder of him being my father. Maybe I could use that.

We turned a corner and found ourselves walking across a crystal bridge over a large foyer.

"This is way to all the chambers in the palace," Shining Armor explained, gesturing with one of his front hooves. "You can stay in the largest guest room. I'm sure Cadence will help you make it feel like home."

"To do that she'd need to get rid of all the light and make it as small as a postage stamp," I muttered. My room back home had been so small. But at least I had my own, unlike the barracks where all the drones slept together.

"Daddy!" a shrill voice suddenly cried out.

Both Shining Armor and I turned around to see a tall pale pink mare running towards them, her purple curls streaked with blue hanging down over her shoulders and down the ground behind her. Her crystal blue eyes were light and glowing and she wore a silver tiara studded with purple gems. Her horn was tall and her wings were tucked against her back, the long feather contained. She also wore a front piece of armor, silver, with matching shoes. Her cutie mark was a glittering silver snowflake with a purple heart-shaped gem in the center. She was young but about old enough to be considered an adult.

"Daddy," she gasped when she reached him. "The new recruits for the guard are warmed up and waiting for their training."

"Oh," Shining Armor said, suddenly remembering. "I completely forgot. Thank you for the reminder, Flurry dear."

"Of course, Daddy," the pretty mare replied. She glanced behind her father and noticed me. I felt my hooves take a step back, unsure about this air-headed pony. "Who's this?"

"Uh, this is….a visiting dignitary!" Shining Armor exclaimed. "Yes, she's visiting from a really really far away kingdom."

"You look a little young to be a dignitary," the mare said, scratching her chin. Maybe not so air-headed after all.

"Where I come from we respect power, not age," I explained. And it was true. "Shining Armor was just showing me to my room."

"Yes, but I forgot about the recruits. Flurry, could you-?"

"Start the newbies training until you're done?" she finished. "Definitely. I know it like the back of my hoof."

"Uh…."

Clearly he wanted to pass me off to this giggly mare and run to his new recruits, far away from me. I had expected this. But it still hurt.

"Don't worry, Daddy. I'll have them totally exhausted by the time you get there," she assured him and kissed his cheek quick, mirroring Cadence, before she trotted away.

"You're other daughter?" I asked casually, knowing I was right, causing Shining Armor to wince at the word 'other'. "Princess Flurry Heart?"

"Yes," he agreed and turned back. "This way."

We pranced along in silence until they reached a green door tucked in the back of a hall.

"This is the Emerald Room," Shining Armor explained, pushing open the door. "I hope you'll be comfortable."

Inside was a small seating area first, all the couches and chairs covered with green cushions. Pressed against the pale blue walls was a wooden vanity studded with emeralds. A small stool sat in front of it and the top was covered with boxes and vials of powders and makeup. In another corner there were three mirrors propped up, shined to perfection. Another green door was cracked open, revealing a huge closet with more than enough dresses for a year. There was another door next to it which Lysandra assumed was the bathroom. And sitting in the middle of the room was a huge bed with a dark green canopy and over twenty pillows. A thick blanket draped over the huge mattress, making anypony want to jump right in.

I spun around, my hooves pressed into the green rug that covered the floor of the sitting area.

"It's amazing," I gasped, eyes wide and mouth open. And to think I thought I'd hate this place. It was _so_ beautiful.

"I'm glad you like it," Shining Armor said and started to back up. "Now, uh, if you'll excuse me."

"Have fun!" I called after him as the door shut with a loud thud. " _Daddy_."

Completely alone, I walked around my new room, examining everything. The glimmer of the mirrors caught my eye and I frowned when I saw my reflection captured in their glass. Mother had always told me I wasn't pleasant looking and I agreed with her.

I had a pearly white coat that ended in four black hooves with the fur falling over them. It was probably my best feature. My mane and tail were streaked with varying shades of blue, both very thin and cobwebby. Less appealing, but still decent when styled.

Everything else was awful, though. My eyes were the palest, foggiest, blue with slit black pupils, like a bug's, and my horn looked like a crooked white tree branch. As I stood before the mirrors, I unfurled my wings. The tops had white feathers but the rest of the wing was made of a sheer material, like an insect's, and punctured with holes. My cutie mark, something no other changeling had (Mother was very surprised when I got one) was a dark green jeweled heart, flanked by two black gems.

Different. Odd. And _ugly_.

My magic moving fast, I dragged one of the blankets from the bed over to the mirrors and draped it over them, hiding them from view.

"Much better," I muttered as the image of me disappeared behind silk and I turned to look at her room once again. "Oh Mother….if only you could see this. It's amazing….."

I clopped over to her bed and fell into the fluffy mattress. Everything Mother had ever told me, every little thing that had been drilled into me, resounded in my head. I could not fail.

"Don't worry, Mother," I told the canopy above her head. "I will succeed."


	3. Flurry Heart

Chapter Three: Flurry Heart

Starlight Glimmer walked into the home tucked down the alley. It had green crystal walls with an orange roof shaped like a wizard's house. A set of stairs led up to the teal double-door with the sun on it.

Home.

She'd moved in about a year ago when her and Sunburst had started getting serious. And now she could not imagine living anywhere else. The small house allowed them to practice their magic and the library was just a short trot away. Everypony was so kind that she loved just taking a stroll through her neighborhood.

But what she loved most of all was coming home from a long day of research to Sunburst. To seeing him at _their_ home, waiting for her.

But today was strange. She walked into the main area that was littered books but didn't see her colt-friend. None of the candles were lit and the fire place wasn't filled with orange flames.

"Sunburst?" she called as she tossed her saddle bag onto the hook on the wall. "You home?"

"Oh, hello _Starlight_ ," a snide voice said from the darkness of the second room. Starlight walked in and saw Sunburst sitting on a stool, his blue cape pulled over his orange body, his red-orange mane messy as it dangled into his light blue eyes covered by silver circular glasses.

"Hey. Why are you sitting in the dark?" Starlight asked as she looked around. Sunburst shrugged and continued to stare at the book on the table in front of him.

"Felt like it," he replied coldly. Starlight glanced around again.

"And why'd you take all the pictures off the wall?"

"Look, Starlight, I've been doing some thinking," Sunburst suddenly said as he stood up. "I miss living by myself and just being me. Now I'm always stressed about you and what you're going to think of me and stuff. It's exhausting."

"What….what are you saying?"

"I'm saying… It's over, Starlight," Sunburst declared and Starlight took a step back.

"What? Why?"

"I'm tired of you. And I don't want you here anymore. So just go."

Sunburst turned back to his book, cold and uncaring.

Tears filled Starlight's purple eyes and she felt something clamp around her heart.

"Fine!" she sobbed. "If you feel that way then I'll just go."

She raced back to the door and levitated her saddle bags back on, ready to go. But before she left, she turned back to look at Sunburst, a stallion she'd known since she was a filly. A stallion she had loved for her whole life. Her first friend.

He didn't even turn around to watch her leave.

* * *

Shining Armor and Cadence sat together in their private parlor. It was a room meant just for the family and was only place in the palace that had actual pictures of them, not regal painted portraits. The furniture was not the most fancy and worn with age. Flurry Heart's old toys were in boxes against the wall and bookshelves contained scrapbooks and projects their daughter had done in school.

"She seems to be telling the truth," Cadence said.

" _Seems_ to be," Shining Armor muttered, pacing, his hooves clip-clopping on the carpet.

"She's your daughter, Shining. You should be happy."

"She's _Chrysalis's_ daughter."

"And you know that doesn't mean a thing. Thorax is technically her son and you have told me before what a great leader he is. Just give her a chance."

"I know. I will," Shining Armor promised.

"We should at least tell Flurry," Cadence suggested.

"But what will she think of me?" Shining demanded, blue eyes wide.

"That you made a mistake and she has a sister. I understand you not telling the whole kingdom but you need to tell you daughter. And we should probably tell the princesses."

"You're right, Cadence" Shining Armor trotted over to the sofa she was sitting on and crawled up next to her. "You always are."

The two smiled and enjoyed a private moment together (a rare occurrence), as they sat on the couch, just being with each other. Ever since they'd had Flurry; no, more like since they'd taken over the Crystal Empire, they had been busy nonstop. These few moments of quiet peace with each other was everything to them.

* * *

There was a knock on my door about twenty minutes later. I quickly put my cloak back on and walked over to open it. Didn't want to make 'Father' mad. Outside in the hall was Princess Cadence, smiling that loving smile she had. It was both a comfort and an announce

"May I come in?" she asked.

"Over course, princess," I replied, opting to use her title and not the awful names Mother called her, and opened the door further. I hesitated, unsure if I should remove my cloak. Would it offend her?

"You can take it off," Cadence told her, understanding. It seemed she always did. "I've come to tell you that Shining and I would be so happy if you would join us for dinner. We're going to be eating in our private dining hall; just the family and no servants."

"I'd love to," I replied as I hung the cloak up on one of the hooks on my wall. Real, _good,_ food. Oh, I could only imagine. "Should I….?"

"No," Cadence said, glancing at the cloak. "Through the halls Shining would prefer you to wear it. But at dinner we won't mind if you take it off. We actually wanted you to meet Flurry Heart as well."

"Flurry Heart?" I repeated. The air-head. "Your daughter?"

"And your sister," Cadence reminded her with a smile. Clearly she thought that was a good reminder. I disagreed. "Don't worry, Flurry is a delightful mare. I'm sure she'll love you; she always hated being an only child."

"Okay," I agreed, smiling shyly, thanking Mother for those acting lessons. "I'd love to meet her."

"Wonderful. Dinner's at six o'clock sharp. I'll send a servant to get you then, alright?"

"Thank you."

And with that accomplished, Cadence left, leaving me all alone in my green room. Again.

* * *

Six o'clock finally came. I was already dressed in my cloak and had practiced everything I was going to say so I could 'bond' with this air-headed princess.

A sharp knock hit my door and I opened it. A guard stood outside. I honestly wasn't sure if I'd seen him before or not. All guards sort of the had the same coats and their helmets had matching manes sticking out. Plus, their armor covered their cutie mark so there was no way to identify who was who. At least visually. If I really wanted to I could use my powers to examine his emotions, find out who his loved ones were. It wouldn't be too hard but I refrained. I had a job to do.

"I am here to escort you to dinner," the guard told me in his gruff voice. I supposed when Princess Cadence had said 'servant' she meant armed escort, lest I try anything.

"Thank you, kind sir," I replied and entered the hall, the green door shutting behind me.

We didn't say anything the rest of the way. Instead, I tried to memorize the different halls in this confusing maze of crystal. Everything looked the same, though, so it was nearly impossible. But I did notice a difference when we entered the private section of the palace where only the royal family was supposed be. There were only a few guards and they were seemed to be acting very casual. Less fancy vases and art decorated the walls and everything seemed smaller. Cozier, in fact.

"Here we are," the guard said as he stopped by a plain wooden door. I opened it and entered as the guard shut the door behind me.

Inside was a small and simple table of mahogany with four stools seated around it, covered silver dishes already sitting on it. The walls were a pale yellow and they were covered in pictures of the family. Shining Armor and Cadence's wedding. Flurry Heart's crystalling. Birthday parties. Graduations and balls and silly moments.

Already seated at the table were Shining Armor and Cadence. Shining Armor stood as soon as I entered while Cadence smiled at me. She looked so young and radiant, it was hard to believe she was actually nearly nineteen years old.

"Lysandra," Shining Armor greeted. "Hello."

"Hi," I said shyly, glancing around.

"Please have a seat," Cadence told me, gesturing with her golden shoed hoof at the stool next to her. I clip-clopped over and sat. This stool seemed newer than the others. Its cushion was purple instead of blue and the wood was crystal legs were shinier. That's when I realized this one had been added specifically for me. The new interloper.

"Thank you," I said. Shining Armor sat back down slowly, trying to appear like he wasn't watching me carefully. But I could tell.

"Flurry Heart should be here shortly," Cadence said to fill the awkward silence. I nodded.

The silence continued, thick enough to be cut with a knife.

Then, _finally_ , the door burst open as Princess Airhead entered. She'd taken off the armor and silver shoes but her little silver tiara was still perched in her curls. She was breathing hard as she entered the room and gave both her parents a hug and a kiss.

"Sorry I'm late," she breathed as she sat on her stool. "I was helping Daddy with the new recruits and then I went out to the city to see some of my friends and I only just looked at the time a little bit ago and…." She suddenly noticed me. "Oh, hi."

"Hi," I repeated, nodding at her. She squinted at me curiously, then looked at her parents.

"I don't mean to be rude," she started, signaling she was about to be _very_ rude (why else would ponies say that?), "but why is she here? I thought you didn't allow dignitaries to eat with us, Mom?"

"Well, you see, Lysandra isn't a visiting dignitary," Cadence explained.

"I knew it!" Flurry exclaimed, slamming a hoof on the table. She swung her little blue gaze to me, grinning. "Not that you couldn't be a dignitary. You just seemed so different from the normal stuffy ponies who visit. And I just had a hunch that you were something so much _cooler_!"

"Well, uh," I stuttered. Was she always like this? She talked faster than a speeding train and seemed to have _way_ too much energy.

"Flurry Heart," Shining Armor growled in that way that parents do when their trying to lecture you in front of others.

"Oh, right, sorry," she apologized with red cheeks. "Who are you, then?"

"Lysandra," I replied, using my magic to take off my cloak. It fell to the floor in a heap of black fabric, revealing who I really was. "And I'm sort of your sister."

"No! Way!" she gasped. Suddenly she leaped out of her stool and tackled me with a hug. I nearly screamed, I was so shocked. But I couldn't, as all my air was being squeezed out of my lungs by her surprisingly very strong forelegs.

"Flurry, you're strangling the poor darling," Cadence chided. Flurry quickly climbed off me, blushing, but laughing all the same.

"Sorry, it's just…. _wow_. I've _always_ wanted a sibling," she giggled, smiling at me. I tried not to appear too disturbed. "Wait…."

Her eyes suddenly looked me over, nothing my crooked horn and cobwebby mane, my bug-like eyes and my translucent wings. I tried not to squirm under her gaze but I couldn't help it. For some reason I preferred her tackling me with hugs then judging me like I'd thought she was going to do from the beginning.

"You're not _really_ my sister are you?" Flurry asked.

"No. I mean, kind of," I tried to explain. "I'm your half-sister. My parents are Shining Armor, your dad ...and Queen Chrysalis."

Flurry Heart gasped and took a step back. "So….you're a changeling?"

"Half of one," I continued. "My powers are limited. I can only transform into ponies and I can't feed off emotions. I can sense them but I can't actually _devour_ them. And….I ran away from home. Mother was very cruel to me so I decided to try to find my father."

"Wow," Flurry Heart gaped. Suddenly her eyes filled with perfect pearly tears.

"Are you-?" I was going to say 'okay.' But before I could she tackled me in another hug, sending us crashing to the purple carpeted floor. Not that that really cushioned our fall.

"You poor thing," she sobbed. "You're going to be _so_ happy you came here. You'll be just like one of the family and we'll love you and never be mean to you, I _promise_!"

"Flurry, dear," Cadence laughed. Even Shining Armor chuckled.

At the sound of her name, Flurry Heart got off of me then offered me her hoof to help me up. I took it slowly then she pulled me up so I was standing again.

"Sorry," she giggled. "Just excited."

"Couldn't tell at all," I muttered, brushing myself off. Flurry just laughed. It appeared I had at least won over one of the royal family.

* * *

"And once we went to Rainbow Falls and I fell into one of the rainbow waterfalls….," Flurry laughed. Dinner was long over and she and I were walking back to my room as I could not remember where it was. My cloak was back on but Flurry didn't seem to mind. She was actually regaling me with stories of her family and everything they'd done together. They seemed so perfect….

"Daddy jumped in to save me, though," Flurry Heart continued. "Mom laughed at both of us when we got out, soaked and looking like rainbows. We actually sort of looked like Miss Rainbow Dash, my aunt's friend. She's a famous Wonderbolt now; I actually think she's the captain."

"Cool," I replied. Of course I knew all about Rainbow Dash. Mother had ranted about the bearers of the Elements of Harmony as well. Not as much as Shining and Cadence, but enough that I knew who they were.

"This is gonna be so great!" Flurry exclaimed as we passed a mural of a purple dragon with the Crystal Heart. "I've always wanted a sister. Now we can swap clothes, rant about Mom and Dad, talk about colts….Oh! You can tell me about your first kiss!"

I tried to remember my first kiss. About five years ago when Mother had been teaching me about seduction. The stallion in question had been leaving a school dance and had tried to stick his tongue down my throat. I didn't even know his name and could barely remember what he looked like. So yeah, I would not be telling Flurry Heart about that.

"Yeah, so great," I muttered as we turned another corner. (Why were there so many corners in this stupid place?!)

As we walked down the hall, a guard was approaching us. This one was a recruit, I thought, since he was wearing dull steel armor and a simple helmet. His coat was dark green and his eyes were a stormy blue. His brown mane dangled from under his helmet and his light brown tale was cut short. He was a crystal pony, no wings or horn, but oddly shaped pupils and a more pastel look.

I didn't think anything of him until I noticed the waves of emotion coming off of Flurry Heart and her slow hoof-steps.

"H-h-hi Arrow," she greeted. The recruit paused and smiled at her, bringing life to his monotone eyes. Emotions were coming off of him as well, nearly as strong as Flurry Heart, maybe stronger.

"Princess Flurry Heart," he said and bowed low, one knee on the ground. I noted that many guards only bowed this low for Celestia. "How are you today?"

"Wonderful, thank you," she replied. "And you?"

"I must say the same, Princess," he answered, standing again. "Where are you headed? Perhaps I could escort you for your, uh, protection?"

"That would be-" Flurry started but then she glanced at me. I know she was remembering what her dad had told her before we left the dining hall.

* * *

 _"We are going to keep Lysandra's identity and lineage under wraps for a bit, just so we can determine our next best steps," Shining Armor told Flurry Heart as I pulled on my cloak. She looked at me, confused._

 _"But she's my sister, your_ daughter _," the princess protested. I could not deny, that made me smile a bit. Who knew the air-head would stand up for me?_

 _"Flurry Heart, please?" Cadence asked her daughter, reaching a hoof up to stroke her purple and blue curls. "We're just being cautious."_

 _"It's fine, Flurry, really," I assured her. I wondered if my story was true, if I had really come her under my own will, if I would think it was fine. Hiding myself, pretending not to be a disgrace to my 'father.'_

 _"Okay," she agreed, though half-heartedly. "I can show you to your room, Lysandra. If you want."_

 _"Of course," I replied, walking up to her. "I'd love to walk with my sister. And I have no idea how to get back, if I'm being honest."_

 _Flurry heart laughed and slung one of her forelegs across my shoulders. Then we went out into the hall, me hidden, her happy just to be with somepony._

* * *

"I'm sorry, Arrow," Flurry Heart apologized, her radiant grin dimming. "But I'm walking Lysandra back to her room."

"I was not aware the Princess had a guest in the palace," Arrow remarked as he looked at me. I wanted to glare at him until he shook with fear but I just lowered my head, hiding my face.

"She's one of Dad's distant relatives," Flurry Heart explained, stepping closer to me. Cadence had said my dignitary story wasn't believable and since no one else knew who I was, we were going to pretend I was some second cousin twice removed. Or something. "She'll be staying with us indefinitely."

"That's nice," Arrow said. Probably supposed to be towards me but his eyes were drifting to Flurry again. In fact, they stared at each other for quite a bit.

" _Hem_ ," I coughed sharply into my black hoof. They both jumped and looked at me before they glanced at each other again.

"I should get going," Flurry told him. Arrow nodded, though he looked sad.

"Of course, Princess. I wish you well." He bowed again, though his eyes never left her.

"And I you," she replied.

Arrow grinned sort of silly, then trotted away. Flurry stared after him, a dreamy look in her eye.

"So….," I drawled. "How long you been into him?"

"What?" she exclaimed, her voice at least an octave higher than normal. "What? No, no….I don't….I mean-"

"Come on, Flurry!" I laughed, hitting her shoulder lightly. She rolled her eyes and trotted ahead, towards my room. I cantered to catch up with her. "You said we were going to be like real sisters. Talk about _colts_."

"Oh, fine!" she humphed.

I bit my lip to contain my laughter. She glanced around the halls and suddenly began running. I chased after her and we soon reached my large green door. She pushed it open and flopped onto my oversize bed. I closed the door, threw off my cloak, and jumped on after her, my head on my hoof.

"Tell me everything," I instructed. Flurry rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same.

"His name's Green Arrow and his father was in the royal guard. So was his grandfather and his great-grandfather….it's a family tradition," she started. "Anyway, when I was growing up his dad, Cosmic Light, was a royal guard. He and Dad were actually friends so Green Arrow would come over to the palace sometimes. He and I weren't exactly friends but we played together sometimes. Then Cosmic was transferred to Canterlot and Arrow left with him. I was about ten. But then he came back about a six months ago to be a recruit. He's a squire now."

"You two friends now?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows. Flurry blushed scarlet.

"When I first saw him I had no idea who he was. He was so different," she sighed. "Taller, stronger, buffer…."

"Okay, okay," I groaned, covering my ears. "TMI, Flurry!" She giggled. "Have you talked to him?"

"A bit. We started talking during his training since I normally help Dad with the new recruits. And lately we've talking on his breaks or he finds reasons to walk me places. He's so kind and chivalrous and dreamy…."

As she drifted off, staring at my canopy with her dreamy grin, I knew I'd lost her.

"He likes you," I suddenly blurted out. I have no idea why. Maybe I thought it would be a good way to gain her trust? Or maybe I wanted to see how this little innocent princess would take this new information. "Like, _really_ likes you. About as much as you like him. Maybe more."

Her light blue eyes grew so big, I thought they were going to pop out of her head.

"Really?" she squealed, looking at me. I nodded once.

She grinned the giddiest smile. But then she started looking at me strangely, as if she were, for the first, noticing my differences. My cobweb mane and crooked horn; my bug eyes and transparent wings.

"How….?"

"I'm part changeling," I muttered to my hooves. Why did I not like her looking at me like that? "I can't absorb emotions or eat them but I can sense them. I can tell who somepony loves more than anypony and I can tell what causes their emotions."

"That's….." Weird. Creepy. Strange. "Amazing!"

"Really?" I wondered, looking back at the princess. Her smile was so pure and light that I nearly squinted.

"Of course! You could start a matchmaking business!" Flurry squealed. "That's _so_ cool! I wish I had your powers."

"But….it's different," I argued. "Weird."

"So? Different is cool," Flurry told me, placing her pale pink hoof on my black one. "I was the first natural born alicorn. But that's okay. Just makes me special."

Special. No pony had ever called me that before.

Suddenly somepony knocked on the door. Flurry leaped up to answer it while I used my magic to pull my cloak back on. Just in case.

"Girls," Cadence called as she stuck her head into my room. "Time for bed."

"Alright," Flurry sighed and walked over to her mother. They looked so much alike, their nearly identical coats and glimmering smiles. "Goodnight Lysandra."

"Night Flurry," I replied, nodding at her.

"Lysandra, Shining Armor wants to meet with you tomorrow early in the morning. He's invited the princesses to come and meet you."

Great….

"Of course," I agreed. "I can't wait to meet them."

"Alright. Well, goodnight Lysandra," Cadence said as she left.

"Night," I called after her as my door thudded shut.

Day one. Complete. Day two, looking to be awful.


	4. The Princesses

Chapter Four: The Princesses

 _"A rock, Lysandra! Even a pebble will do!" Cicada yelled at me. I flinched._

 _All around me my classmates were disguised as mundane stones ranging in color and size. But I struggled with this transformation, as I had with the pony transformations. But this one….this one was practically impossible._

 _"I'm sorry….I can't," I stuttered, sweat dripping into my eyes._

 _"What seems to be the issue?" a regal voice asked. The rocks turned back into my changeling classmates and they bowed as Queen Chrysalis approached. I followed suit as Cicada, our teacher, approached._

 _"It's Lysandra, my queen," she explained, gesturing at me, disapproval evident in her sneer and cold teal eyes. "She can't change into anything other than a pony!"_

 _"I see," Chrysalis replied, voice hard as steel. I started to shake as the other changelings started to mutter amongst themselves. "Lysandra, come."_

 _I stood up as the class snickered. Chrysalis flew up in the hive, toward her royal chambers, me staying at least three feet behind. When we landed we stood in the shadow of her throne. It was no longer made of the magic stone that halted all magic, but rather just a simple rock._

 _"Lysandra," Chrysalis started. "How long have you been working on your powers?"_

 _"Years, my queen," I replied, though she knew that._

 _"You know you are not a_ true _changeling, Lysandra."_

 _"Yes."_

 _"You are a child of not only a great queen but also a feeble_ pony _." The disgust in Chrysalis's voice could have peeled paint. "This would explain why your powers are so_ weak _."_

 _"If I am so useless why not just send me to my father?" I snapped._

 _Chrysalis suddenly swung back, smacking her hoof into my face. I flew back a few feet before I slumped against the dusty wall behind me. I started to cry and curled up into a ball to protect myself._

 _Stupid. I was so_ stupid _._

 _But nothing else happened. Eventually I looked through my hooves and saw Chrysalis tapping her chin while she stared at me._

 _"Send you to your father….," she mused. "Now that's an idea."_

 _She started walking towards me. I flinched back but she simply started to stroke my mane with her holey hoof._

 _"Now, now, love," she whispered. "I am sorry for hurting you. But worry not. I think I have found a use for you after all this time."_

 _"My queen?" I asked, looking up her at. Her green-blue eyes were haunting and her pointed teeth poked out of her smile. But there was a warmth there. And I was desperate for warmth. Kindness._ Love.

 _"Call me Mother, child, for that is what I shall be to you from now on," Chrysalis, Mother, promised. "I shall teach you and raise you as my own. And, one day, you shall have the honor of exacting our revenge upon Equestria."_

 _I didn't say anything. I couldn't. I was too grateful to finally be needed and accepted to form words. And I knew, from that day on, that if Mother needed anything from me I would give it. So long as she took care of me I would give her everything I had._

* * *

I blinked my eyes open, confused. Where was I? My bed was suddenly soft and the stalactites that normally hung from my ceiling were replaced with what looked like green fabric.

Then I remembered. The journey, my arrival in the Crystal Empire. Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, Flurry Heart.

But my dream was still bouncing in my head. It wasn't really a dream, but a memory. One from a time I could barely remember. I could hardly imagine a time when Mother didn't have her secret plan in the works. But there had been a time, years, when I wasn't wanted nor needed. When I wasn't special, simply a freak. It was a time I had tried so hard to forget, one I didn't like thinking about.

I needed to stop focusing on this. If I got stuck in the past I'd never be able to concentrate on the task at hoof.

I wasn't sure what I should do so I approached my mirrors. Back at the hive I had had the same morning routine every day and I saw no reason to deviate from it now.

With my magic I pulled of the blanket that covered the glass. But before I could process my reflection and appearance, I changed. Green fire consumed me and I turned into a beautiful white mare with dark blue hair and sapphire eyes. My cutie mark became some sort of star and my wings vanished. It was one of my favorite disguises, with the long eyelashes and lean figure. It was the disguise that got the most attention, especially from stallions. Even though I wasn't able to feed off emotions, Mother had still taught me seduction and the best appearance for it. I could flirt the boots off the poorest pony if I really wanted to.

Next transformation, I chose a blue stallion with a strong jawline and short white mane.

A pegasus filly with a short tail and braided mane.

An earth pony with dirty hooves.

An old unicorn with a gray mane and wrinkles

A green crystal pony with a brown mane and blue eyes.

I spun around, watching the reflection of Green Arrow mirror my movements. Though I hadn't paid him much attention, I had nailed his appearance to a T. Everything was perfect, right down to the loose strand that dangled into his blue eyes.

Suddenly somepony knocked on my door. I quickly shed my disguise and pulled my cloak on, then re-covered the mirrors. I would only look at them for my morning practice sessions. Mother would, after all, hate for me to grow weaker during my time away.

"Come in," I called as I approached the door. It swung open as I reached it and Shining Armor stood there. He had bags under his blue eyes and seemed to be swaying. His blue streaked mane was a mess, as if a rat had burrowed into it. Even his posture was all wrong, slumped and lazy.

"Lysandra," he said as I walked up to him. "Uh, good morning."

"Good morning," I replied, cautious. Something was up. "Is everything alright?"

"Of course," he told me, faking a grin. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Because you feel….agitated," I said, sensing the vibrations of his emotions. "And overwhelmed. And stressed. Very stressed."

"Is that some sort of changeling power?" he asked, eyes narrowing.

"I apologize," I hurriedly said, bowing my head so the cloak covered my face. "I won't do it again."

"Feeling ponies' emotions is an invasion of privacy, Lysandra," Shining snapped. "You're meeting the princesses today, remember."

"I won't do it again," I repeated. It was a lie. I actually couldn't help it. It was instinct to sense ponies' emotions, or at least the main one they were feeling at a moment. If I tried, I could delve further in. But I couldn't _not_ sense emotions. It was like asking me not to breath.

"Okay," he said. He was confused now, unsure if he'd said the right thing. Guilt I could use.

"Should we be going?" I inquired, looking up hesitantly at him. He was staring at me, as if unsure what to make of me. The feeling was mutual.

"Of course," he agreed. "Follow me."

I was led through even more hallways, ones I would never remember. They were all beautiful and all magnificent. Finally, we reached a dark blue door with golden handles. A magenta aura encased them and pushed the door open. I glanced at Shining Armor's glowing horn and tried to imagine how much he was mocked for that particular color back in grade school.

In the room was a dark purple table with a crystal design on top. It sat on a dark blue rug and windows framed with blue crystal columns lined the walls of the hall. And sitting at the table were four ponies.

The first was a tall white mare with a huge horn. Gold shoes were on her hooves and she wore a matching necklace and crown. Her mane and tail were both flowing magically, the green, purple, and pink hues glittering. Her large wings were folded and a brilliant sun was on her flank while her purple eyes watched me approach.

Next to her was slightly shorter pony. Her dark blue coat matched her glittering mane that looked like the night sky. It too flowed like her sister's and she wore twinkling shoes. A black necklace with a white crescent moon, matching her cutie mark, dangled from around her throat and a black crown sat atop her head. She too had a long horn and folded wings but she appeared much quieter and understanding than the white alicorn.

The next pony I glanced at was Cadence. She smiled at me encouragingly as I entered, her purple eyes never leaving me, her smile never faltering.

And sitting farthest from the others was a much shorter pony, though I could tell she was taller than average. Her lilac coat was a common color and her navy mane was bone straight. A streak of pink and purple raced through it, matching her tail. Her cutie mark was one I knew was incredibly famous, a six pointed star with five other stars around it. She wore a golden crown with pink jewels but no other accessories. Like all the others, she too was an alicorn, but her horn and wings were not as big as the others.

They were the four princesses of Equestria: Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight. Day, Night, Love, and Friendship.

How quaint.

In this single room was everypony Mother hated with a burning passion. The couple that had ruined her, the sisters that had kept her minions at bay for so long, and the little meddling mare that had ruined all her best laid plans.

My blood boiled for Mother just looking at them all.

"Please sit, Lysandra," Celestia told me. I walked forward and sat by the table, on the opposite side of the royals. Shining Armor walked around to sit next to his wife, leaving me all alone (father of the year, that one).

"You know my name," I observed.

"Shining Armor told us in his letter," she explained. She seemed kind. But looks can be deceiving. I should know, after all.

"So you want to know who I am, why I'm here," I realized. But not really. I knew that's why they were here. But this whole conversation I needed to appear innocent and traumatized by my past.

"Shining Armor told us you are his daughter," Luna explained. "And Queen Chrysalis's."

"You can take off the cloak, dear," Cadence whispered to me. I hesitated. But if they were going to feel pity for me my appearance just may begin that process.

I swished it off and heard their gasps.

"Amazing," Twilight gaped. "The scientific implications alone are astonishing. Could you tell me-?"

"Twilight," Celestia chided. I felt a rush of satisfaction was the purple princess flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry," she muttered. "But it really is astonishing. You must be the first pony of your kind."

"I know," I replied, looking at my black hooves.

"Tell us, why did you come here," Celestia prompted. I glanced at her before I returned my gaze to my hooves.

"Mother never liked me. I was different and weird. And useless. I can't feed off emotions and I can only turn into other ponies. I can't….do anything beneficial to the hive. Mother hated me. I remember…." I didn't want to remember these things. But they needed to be convinced. "I remember when I was ten. Everyone could turn into rocks but I couldn't. I snapped. I asked Mother to just send me to my father. She hit me so hard I flew across the room."

Tears were building in my eyes now.

"I….I was so scared. But I knew it was inevitable. It just got worse from then on. Everypony in the hive treated me with cruelty. I just couldn't take it anymore."

The tears were falling now.

"What prompted you to leave when you did?" Luna inquired. The sisters clearly couldn't be bothered by my running eyes and nose.

Mother had given me the perfect story. I could recite it in my sleep.

"The other changelings were tired of me," I started, "looking at me, being _disturbed_ by me. They came into my room. Dragged me out and beat me up. Mother came by to see what all the noise was. She just watched. They would have killed me if I hadn't run into the forest and hid in a swamp. I decided then and there that I would never…. _ever_ ….come back. I used some plants in the forest to heal me then I left. I knew the only place I could was to my father."

Tears were streaming down my face now. Snot was about to dribble out my nose. It was all fake. The only time anything like that had happened was when I was young and the other changelings had bullied. I had a vague memory of when they tried to beat me up. But I was quick and much taller than all of them.

"Could you please expand upon-?" Luna questioned.

"I think that's enough," Cadence interrupted. The sisters turned to her, stunned. "May I speak with you three alone, please?"

They nodded and walked to the back of the hall, whispering so I wouldn't hear. Shining stood near them, not partaking, simply listening. I waited, continuing my fake tears, hoping they had bought it.

* * *

"The mare has been through enough," Cadence hissed at the sisters, her purple eyes on fire. "It is clearly painful for her to remember these times and we are doing her more harm by asking her to tell us."

"We are merely trying to determine if she is trustworthy," Luna shot back. "She could be a potential threat."

"She's a scarred little mare!" Cadence whisper-shouted. "Not much older than Flurry Heart! Would you put her through this?"

"Cadence is right," Twilight suddenly said. "We have enough information. And if she can lead us to the hives like you said, Shining, then I think we can begin to trust her."

"Sister?" Luna said and turned to Celestia.

"We have put her through enough," the older princess agreed. "For now, we will trust her. But still keep your vigilance. We cannot be too careful."

* * *

They didn't talk long. When they came back to the table only Luna looked upset. But I think it was just how she is.

"Thorax also replied to my letter this morning," Shining Armor said as they sat down. I wanted to ask if they believed my story but I thought that would only make me looks suspicious. "He said we are welcome to visit the hive whenever he want."

"We?" I wondered.

"He'd like to meet with you," Cadence told me. "Alone."

Great. The one pony that could throw a wrench in my plans.

Of course, Mother hadn't started favoring me until after Thorax had betrayed us and left with all the other changelings. So maybe this would work.

"I'd love to see Thorax," I replied. "I haven't seen him since I was just a foal. I can't even really remember him."

"Then we'll leave right after lunch," Cadence said with a smile. "Would any of you like to join us?"

"I'm afraid I'm going to abstain," Luna snapped and walked out of the room.

"Forgive my sister," Celestia asked us as she stood. "She is on edge as of late. But I must return to Canterlot. There is much to be done."

"Thank you for coming, Princess," Twilight called out after her. Then she turned to her brother. "I'll come. I've been meaning to visit or send somepony since our new school year is starting soon and I was hoping to recruit some new changelings to join us."

"Wonderful," Cadence declared. "How about we all go enjoy some lunch? Flurry will be delighted you're staying, Twilight. She _adores_ you."

"Oh, she's a sweet mare," Twilight chuckled as we started to leave.

I adjusted my cloak and followed, not saying anything, staying at the back of the pack. Cadence and Twilight reminisced about Flurry the whole way, Shining not saying much unless his wife or sister asked him something.

Flurry was waiting for us in the private dining hall. A servant had already placed an extra stool at the table, next to Shining Armor's stool. When the pink princess saw her aunt she squealed with surprise and delight and tackled her with a hug.

"Auntie Twilight!" she exclaimed. "I didn't know you were going to be here today!"

"Just some princess business," Twilight explained as she pulled away from her niece. "How are you?"

"Great," Flurry said with delight, smiling all the while. I stared at the plate of food in front of me, pushing around the peas with my fork. "Daddy said I'd make a great guard if I wasn't a princess. I creamed all the new recruits in fencing."

"Of course you did," Twilight chuckled. "Have you looked at those books I sent you?"

"Yup. I tried that one spell, the light one."

"Nearly burned down the castle," Cadence laughed. "I keep telling her she needs to try new spells with an experience unicorn in the room but she _never_ listens."

"Oh, Cadence, you know you can't stop a love of magic," Twilight sighed.

"How's Dawn?" Flurry interjected.

"Great, really great," the purple pony replied. "She gets into a lot of mischief at the school but she's really trying. And she's a really good asset to our sports teams."

"Has Flash agreed to retire yet?" Cadence wondered.

"Well, not exactly," Twilight answered. "He's very dedicated to his job. I think he may just work himself to death."

"Don't worry, he's strong," Cadence assured her.

There was more chit-chat and catching up. It seemed to go on forever. I noticed Shining Armor only picked at his food like me. But I refused to believe it was because we shared some kind of family trait.

"Oh, we've been talking for over an hour!" Twilight suddenly exclaimed, looking at the crystal clock above the door.

"So we have!" Cadence agreed. "Well, I guess we better get going."

"Where are you going?" Flurry asked innocently. The princesses exchanged uneasy glances. "You're going to hide it from me, aren't you?"

"It's just….we don't want to upset you," Cadence assured her.

Flurry suddenly looked at me and grinned mischievously.

"Okay….," she sighed. But I knew she was being fake. You can't fake a faker and Flurry wasn't even that good at it. "I'll just _go_ then."

Her exit was dramatic and unnecessary. Her mother seemed to buy it but I had to stifle a laugh. I'm pretty sure it was her first time trying to send covert signals.

"The hive awaits," Twilight said as she gestured to the door. And as much as I wanted to stay far away from a traitor we were never allowed to mention, I followed them out.


	5. Hives

Chapter Five: Hives

Twilight and Cadence apparently had no need for transportation since they just teleported us there. Shining had asked them to; something about efficiency. It was a weird feeling and I decided I didn't like it. At all.

Before us stood the hive, my old home. I could not remember how it was before; I had been too young. But I knew it had never looked like this when Mother was still queen here.

Plants and flowers and vines covered all the stone. The walls had stopped moving and shifting. A dirt path lined with flowers led up to the entryway and colorful changelings flew around, laughing and smiling. They young ones were out front, making something out of sticks. Older ones were handing flowers to others. I swear I heard the word 'feelings' at least ten times in the few moments we were there without anyone noticing us.

"Princess Twilight!" a gurgly voice exclaimed, pointing its hoof at us. I stepped back, pulling my hood lower.

Soon we were surrounded. All the changeling wanted to talk to the princesses and hear why they were there.

"How about we stay here?" Cadence suggested, looking at Shining. "And you and, uh, _our guest_ , go see Thorax?"

"Alright," he agreed and we waded through the crowd. The changelings were much too focused on the princesses to notice us entering the cave.

The inside wasn't much better. Greenery still covered everything. Changelings flitted around, enjoying strange activities like hug circles and craft making. There was a whole foyer dedicated to herbal drinks and calming remedies made with magical herbs.

Shining Armor led me up through the hive, all the way to the top level. It was an open floor, as if the roof had been blasted off. There were only about two or three changelings up here and they were busy tending to the plants that littered the place.

In the center was a large chair made out of a living tree. Its branches curled around the top, dangling leaves down to the changeling sitting on it. Thorax. He had a sleek green body and a magenta shell over his wings. A huge pair of orange antlers stuck out of his head and curled upward while her magenta eyes watched us approach.

"Shining Armor," he greeted with a nod (his voice was _so_ weird). The other changelings glanced at us but then went back to their plants.

"King Thorax," Shining replied, also nodding. I lowered my head even further. But he noticed me anyway.

"If you would be so kind, I would like to speak to her alone," Thorax said, staring at me. Shining nodded and left the way he'd come. Thorax gestured for the other changelings to leave and they obeyed. Blind idiots following such a stupid king.

"Hello, _King_ Thorax," I said and bowed. Thorax stood and climbed off his throne while I tossed aside my cloak. "How is your new hive these days?"

"Lysandra, why are you here?" Thorax simply asked. "Did Chrysalis send you?"

"She hates me, you know that," I replied. I would not bow to him. I would stand tall, even if it ruined our plan. He was a traitor, the reason we weren't ruling Equestria. I hated everything about him, _everything_. "Why would she send me?"

"Because she always has a plan. And you could be a very powerful linchpin."

"She hates me. I ran away, just like you."

"I did run away," Thorax agreed, lowering his head. The majestic form he had did not suit him. He was much too meek for it.

"Why do you think it so strange that I would do the same?"

"I don't know."

"You don't even _know_ me," I hissed. "I was _three_ when you left. And blew up my home."

"Did Chrysalis rebuild the hive?"

"Yes."

"So she has a new army."

"A small one, but yes," I agreed. "But that's not the point. The point is if you believe I ran away because I was so _tired_ of all of the changelings harping on me or if you think my hateful mother sent me."

"You still call her mother," Thorax noted. I narrowed my eyes.

"That's because she is."

"I never wanted to fight with you, Lysandra," Thorax sighed and sat on the ground. I didn't say anything. "I just wanted you to know you are welcome here. If you ever wanted to rejoin a hive."

"I left hives behind," I bit out. "I prefer palaces."

"So be it." He turned back and climbed onto his throne. "I will tell Shining Armor I do not think you have an ulterior motive. And I truly hope you don't prove me wrong, Lysandra."

"I won't," I lied then turned around and walked out. The halls of the hive were empty, as the other changelings were with Twilight and Cadence out front.

Anger swelled inside of me as I looked at it all. This never should have happened. Mother had told me so many times how close we were to victory. How we should have been ruling this pathetic land. And this dumb _insect_ , this little insignificant minion, ruined everything!

Green magic exploded out of my horn and destroyed the nearest near me, burning them to ashes. My fury blazed all around and soon I was wading through green fire. But it felt good. It felt _so_ good.

But everypony would notice the fire. Soon. And the only suspect they would have would be me. So I took a deep breath and waved my horn. The fire began to die, leaving behind only ashes of plants. When I was finished not even an ember was glowing. Then I quickly left the hall, toward the base of the hive, back to Shining Armor the princesses, my anger still boiling.

* * *

"Get some rest," Cadence called after me as I disappeared into the halls. "Shining wants you to map out those hives tomorrow."

"Okay," I called back, then, under my breath, " _totally_ excited"

But I was soon lost in the halls, all the white walls the same. Did I turn at this flower vase or the next? Where was the bridge? And why was there no pony to help me figure this out?

"Miss, are you alright?" a voice suddenly asked. I spun around so fast, my cloak nearly fell off my face. But I quickly stopped moving and stared at the guard in front of me. It was Green Arrow, with his shaggy brown mane and dull armor.

"I'd be fine if ponies wouldn't sneak up on me," I muttered. "You're Green Arrow, right? A new guard?"

"Yes, miss," he replied. "Is there something wrong? Anything I can help you with?"

"I can't find my room," I admitted. Arrow just chuckled.

"This place is a bit of a maze," he agreed and started to walk. "You're staying in the Emerald Room, right?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?" I followed. He didn't seem so bad. Certainly smarter than Flurry which would balance out the couple.

"Rumor-mill," he explained. "It runs rampant through the guards and servants."

"Ah. So who do they all say I am?"

"Uh…."

"Sorry, you don't have to tell me."

"No, no," Arrow said. "It's just I don't' want to offend you."

I laughed. "You would have to try very hard to do that."

"Well a lot of guards are saying you're some secret spy. The servants think you're a fugitive or one of Shining Armor's ex-lovers."

"Ew!"

"Yeah, I know," Arrow laughed. Just then we began to cross the sparkling crystal bridge.

"Oh, I remember this!" I exclaimed, walking ahead, trying to map important landmarks in my mind.

"See? You're getting it already."

"Thanks. I think I can take it from here."

"You're welcome, miss." He started walking away.

"Wait!" I don't know why I called after him. "Who do you think I am?"

"I think you're a good friend to Flurry Heart and therefore a good mare." Arrow shrugged, his cheeks flushed. "I don't think it really matters why you're here."

"Thank you," I said, a bubbly feeling strangely erupting in my chest.

Arrow nodded once and turned around, returning to his rounds. And I continued to my room, getting a hang of the palace suddenly.

* * *

The Palace of Friendship appeared to be a tree made out of purple and blue crystal. It towered over Ponyville, seeming to cast a shadow over the whole town. Starlight smiled when she saw it, though. It brought back fond memories of learning friendship and being a guidance counselor in Princess Twilight's school of friendship. It was her second home.

She walked up the stairs and eagerly pulled at the door's handle. But it was locked. Confused, she knocked. A tiny window slid open to reveal a guard's face.

Right. Twilight had gotten a few guards to help protect her and the school after a few attacks were made by super mega-magic bad guys.

"And you are?" he asked.

"Starlight Glimmer," she replied. "I'm an old friend of Twilight's."

"Princess Twilight isn't here right now," the guard told her and began to slide the window closed.

"Wait!" Starlight exclaimed. "What about Spike? Or any of the bears of the Elements of Harmony? They're my friends too!"

"If you were their friend I would know who you are," the guard snapped. "Now scram before I arrest you for loitering."

"Fine," Starlight sighed and walked away.

What was going on? Why didn't anypony remember her?

"Maud lives nearby," Starlight mused. "I'll just go stay with her and Mud Briar for a bit before Twilight gets back."

* * *

The military room had lowlights and dark walls. Maps of different places were tacked on the walls and the floor was a dark tile. At least twenty guards stood around the dark wooden table, their armor gleaming. At the head was their captain, Shining Armor. He too wore his purple and gold armor. A star gleamed on the front, the pink six-pointed one that he had on his cutie mark.

They all stared at me as I entered the room. I quickly shuffled to the only empty spot, right across from my 'father' and stared at the map on the table. It was a detailed one of Equestria. And in front of me was a bright red marker.

"This is Lysandra, one of my distant relatives," Shining Armor told the guards. "She has information of where the changelings are living and where their backup hives are."

The guards seemed stunned that I could know this, all of them staring at me with wide eyes.

"After she maps them out we shall raid each one to stamp out this threat once and for all."

The guards cheered and I flinched back. Once they quieted, Shining Armor nodded at me. I took a deep breath, made sure my face was hidden, and levitated the marker.

"These are all the backup hives," I told them, drawing an 'X' over each location. There was one on the edge of the Dragon Lands, one deep in the Everfree Forest, and another hidden in the shadows of a Manehattan building. There were others in Ghastly Gorge and Hollow Shades. Once I marked the last one up in the Badlands and set the marker down. All in all, there was roughly twenty.

"This one," I said as I pointed my black hoof at the mark in Ghastly Gorge, "is where the changelings are currently living. But they may have moved since they figured out I knew that. The others are backup hives."

The guards studied the map intently. Shining Armor watched them glance suspiciously at me before he coughed sharply.

"We will go to that one first. We leave in one hour," he announced, then left the room. I quickly ran after him.

Shining Armor stood next to one of the white walls, his head against the cool surface. He seemed stressed and exhausted.

"Excuse me?" I hesitantly asked. He turned sharply, putting on his mask, his pretend self.

"Yes, Lysandra?" he replied.

"Am I….am I going on the raid?" I wondered.

"I….it's probably not smart," he admitted. "Do you want to?"

"I'd like to," I told him. "And I know how to get around the hive."

"Alright," Shining sighed. "Just be careful."

I nodded, then walked back into the military room where the guards were banging shields together and gathering spears from the trunks in the back of the room. I stood in the shadows, silent and watching. As always.

* * *

I was at the back of the pack. Ten guards went forward in a V-formation, their spears extended, ready in case of attack. All around us the tall stone walls rose to the blue sky. Fog rolled through the gorge, making it seem like a haunted place. Moss and straw plants grew between rocks and the dirt beneath our hooves was hard.

"How much further?" Shining Armor asked me quietly.

"Through there," I told him, pointing at a large opening in the stone wall. Boulders cluttered the front, making the hole very tiny. "It leads directly into the hive."

"Through there!" Shining Armor exclaimed, pointing at the hole. The guards turned sharply and marched in. Soon the stone above our heads changed from dark black to a gray. Tunnels branched off the main passageway and hard green shells littered the floor.

"Old eggs and feeding capsules," I explained, moving to the front of the group.

Soon we reached the main foyer of the hive. A large hollow with sharp stones and tunnels branching off. Jagged crooked stairs led to different levels and more shattered green shells that used to glow were shattered on the floor. It was eerily quiet, something that had never happened when I'd lived here.

"The queen's chambers are up at the top. The nursery is towards the bottom and the barracks are on the second level. Feeding area where they keep ponies they kidnapped are near the queen's chambers," I explained, gesturing as I spoke. "Everywhere else is empty rooms. Their purpose is specific to each hive."

"Rigid Saber, take your squad up!" Shining Armor ordered. "Garnet Dagger, you and your stallions cover the main section of the hive! Lysandra-"

I looked at him and he paused.

"Uh, you and I will take the nursery," he told me. I nodded once and turned into one of the tunnels, Shining Armor on my heels.

Mother used to tell me about our glorious hive where the walls shifted and changed and only a changeling could navigate it. But when her throne was destroyed, the one made of a stone that absorbed all magic, that stopped. Now it was simply a structure similar to an ant hill. Tunnels and more tunnels, like a maze.

I lit my horn as we descended into darkness. Shining Armor's was also lit. I knew he was wondering if I was leading him into a trap. I could sense his fear.

The tunnel leveled out and we entered an underground room with low ceilings and mossy floor. Little niches in the walls were still filled with blankets and green goo. Black flapping stems hung from the ceiling, the nourishment system for eggs. Once they were mature they would fall to the floor and hatch. But now the stems were dead.

"Is this….?" Shining Armor drifted off.

"The nursery," I replied.

Suddenly we heard hoof steps from the shadows of the room. We both jumped and whirled around. Slowly, we circled the room, back to back.

"Lysandra….," he growled. I said nothing.

A sudden green beam shot at me. Shining Armor intercepted it with a magenta beam from his own horn. Then he spun around and shot a beam into the dark tunnel we had just come from. There was a grunt and the sound of a body falling to the ground. I dashed into the tunnel, my horn casting a green light around the room.

"Nanny?" I exclaimed.

The pony lying on the tunnel floor wasn't a pony at all, but a black changeling. There were holes in her legs and she had no mane. The tail was a short tuff of black and she had a purple beetle shell on her back, hiding her wings. Her black horn curled up, a smooth line, and black ears stuck out from her bald head. Two sharp fangs stuck out of her mouth and her purple pupil-less eyes were glaring at me.

"You know her?" Shining Armor demanded. I fell to my knees, next to her as she fought to stay awake.

"Nanny took care of me, of all the baby changelings. She practically raised us all," I whispered. I had to be surprised. I had to pretend I had no idea she would be here.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her. Nanny glared at him then looked back to me.

"You may be wearing a disguise, _Lysandra_ , but I recognize your emotions. Your _failure_ and oddities," she hissed at me.

"Nanny," I begged, voice cracking. Dang, I was good. "What are you doing here?"

"You ran away," she breathed. "The queen knew you would tattle to your weak daddy about where we were so we fled. I stayed behind to finish getting rid of all our essential items and transport the eggs."

"Are there any left? Eggs?" Shining Armor growled.

"Of course not," she laughed. "They are all with their rightful queen. Unlike this sniveling traitor."

I lowered my head, ashamed. I knew Nanny was acting but it still hurt.

"Get up," Shining Armor ordered and yanked her to her hooves. She was weak from his blast and sagged against him. Then he reached into a saddle bag and pulled out thick metal cuffs, placing them around her hooves. "We are taking you prisoner in the name of the Crystal Empire and Equestria. Is anypony else here?"

"Her majesty only trusted me with this task."

"Lysandra, is she telling the truth?"

They both turned to me. I paused, as if checking.

"Other than your guards, no. Nopony else."

"Good," Shining Armor muttered and tied a rope around the chain connecting the cuffs with his magic. "We're leaving."

* * *

"Lysandra," Shining Armor called after me. We were back at the palace and Nanny had been locked up in the dungeons. I was heading back to my room when he stopped me. "I….I just wanted to say thank you. For leading us to the hives and how you helped today."

"Of course," I replied monotone. "Happy to help."

"I'm sorry we had to imprison her," Shining Armor said softly. "I understand she still means something to you."

"No, she doesn't," I argued, head lowered, acting game on point. "It's just harder to let go then I thought."

"Take as long as you need," Shining Armor told me then walked away, probably to do more guard stuff. I just stared after him, wondering how he could be so blind.

I waited until it was nearly one in the morning. Then I crept out of my room and into the hall. The only pony that was meandering around were guards. I concentrated and soon I was engulfed in green fire. My body changed and I turned into a generic guard: tall, purple coat, light blue mane and tail, and silver armor. Completely invisible.

I had spent the last few days memorizing the palace. Now I knew exactly how to get to the prisons. They were left over from when King Sombra ruled, or so the princess claimed.

Finally I reached the dark hall. Stormy sapphire columns lined the navy walls and a huge locked door stood before me. A guard stood in front of it, standing at attention. I approached, remembering my speech.

"Reporting for prisoner watch, sir," I said sharply. The exhausted guard didn't even bat an eye. He simply raised the key with his magic, unlocked the door, and I walked in.

The hall before me had black walls with rooms closed off with steel bars. All were empty except for the one at the very end. Sitting behind the bars, staring up at the ceiling while lying on her back, was Nanny.

After Mother had decided to use me for her special plan she had decided I needed special care. Hence Nanny being moved from the nursery to just taking care of me. She didn't complain and actually helped me refine a lot of my skills. I knew she didn't really care for me but it was as close to love as I had ever gotten.

And her name really wasn't Nanny. It was actually Vedalia but I hadn't called her that ever.

I quickly turned back and sat by the bars, every flaw of mine available for her to stare at. But she was the only pony to never critique them.

"You've done well," Nanny said, not moving. "My imprisonment will certainly increase his trust in you."

"Their daughter, Flurry Heart, trusts me. As does the two princesses, Twilight and Cadence," I reported. "But I still do not know when they will present me to Equestria."

"It will be soon," Nanny predicted, sitting up and looking at me. Her purple eyes were cold and calculating. "Are they treating you well?"

"Yes," I admitted, "as we thought they would. I have a huge room and eat dinner with the family every day in their private room."

"What do you think of them? Shining Armor and his family?"

"They're…." I knew what to say. But Nanny would sense my lies. "They are kind to me. Flurry Heart and Princess Cadence except me, or at least are trying to. Shining Armor still doesn't know what to make of me, though. But I can't look at them and not see what they did to us."

"Good," Nanny said with a nod. Then she glanced at the door. "You should go before you are caught."

"I know," I sighed. Nanny gave me a small smile.

"Do not fret, child." Her hoof reached through the bars to wrap around mine. "The plan shall come to fruition soon enough and you shall no longer have to put up with these ponies."

I stood to leave, ready to put on my disguise.

"Your Mother also sent me with a message for you."

I paused, staring. Had she really?

Nanny reached her hoof to her back and pulled a dried scrap of paper out of her beetle shell. She quickly slipped it through the bars, nodded again, then returned to her mat they called a bed. I quickly stuffed the paper into my wings and transformed in a guard again. When I left, the other guard was snoring against the wall.

The staff here really was incompetent.

Back in my room, I unfolded Mother's note, so excited to see what she had to say.

 _"Do not fail me, daughter. You are my last plan, our last chance to seize this land. Do_ not _fail."_

I fell asleep wishing for more.

* * *

 _"Again," Mother ordered._

 _"I ran away from home," I cried into my hooves, my nose running with snot. "I couldn't_ stand _it anymore. They all hated me; I look too different, I'm not as strong. I have nowhere else to go. So I came to meet my father."_

 _"No!" Mother screamed and I flinched back, my tears drying instantly. "You look too_ ugly _when you cry. They need to pity you, see something_ lovable _in you!"_

 _"I'm sorry, Mother, I'm trying," I told her softly. Mother just shook her head and climbed onto her throne, her hoof over her eyes._

 _"Go. Leave me," she instructed and I scurried out of the throne room._

 _It had been five year since Mother had come up with her diabolical plan. I was fine tuning everything I would say now, every last word. But I could not pull off the look to ensure ponies would pity me. And Mother was getting fed up with it._

 _Back in my room, a small cavern near the outside of the hive (it even had a window) was Nanny. She was placing a plate of food on my dresser when I flew in. Unlike other changelings, I had to eat solid food. Mother had found that out when I'd nearly died as an infant due to starvation._

 _"Training end early?" Nanny asked as I sat down to eat my lunch. She'd even remembered to cut off the crusts of my carrot sandwiches._

 _"Mother is unhappy with me," I sighed. "I cannot get the right look that inspires pity. She says I am too ugly."_

 _"Maybe you can use that," Nanny mused, levitating a comb and running it through my mane. It was one of my favorite things for her to do. "If you are so ugly they will feel bad for you. Just remember to keep your eyes big. Eyes are essential to inspire pity."_

 _"Would you help me practice?" I asked, turning back to look at her._

 _"Of course, Lysandra," she replied, her lips turning up slightly. "But first finish your lunch. The queen will kill me if you are malnourished."_

 _I laughed but did as I was told, relishing in her combing my mane and her encouragement._


	6. Kindness

**Hey all. I am so sorry, I accidently posted the next chapter today. To those who read the story and got confused, I apologize. Here is the actual sixth chapter. Hope it makes more sense.**

* * *

Chapter Six: Kindness

"Surely the ponies deserve to know," Twilight said.

The four princesses and Shining Armor were back in the council room at the Crystal Palace. It had been a few days since the capture of Vedalia and Shining Armor and his guards had raided three more hives, all turning up empty.

"I agree," Cadence said. "Lysandra has proved herself trustworthy and it is getting exhausting keeps this from our subjects. They deserve to know."

"But what if she is simply manipulating us?" Luna protested. "We must not be hasty."

"And we haven't," Cadence insisted. "But Lysandra deserves to not hide who is. It's wearing on her, I can tell."

"And I do not think anypony could make up such a sad story and cry so passionately over it," Twilight added.

"What do you think, sister?" Luna asked Celestia. The white alicorn seemed to ponder the matter before she spoke.

"We cannot keep her secret any longer. No matter if she betrays us in the end, I believe she will not," Celestia declared. "She has shown herself to be trustworthy thus far. Let us show her to our citizens as she is a part of Equestria now.

"The Grand Galloping Gala is in one week. Feel free to bring her and we shall introduce her to all of Equestria."

* * *

"We have an exciting announcement to share with you girls," Cadence said at dinner.

Flurry grinned giddily and put down her fork. I continued munching on my salad; it was really good, actually.

"Mommy has the best surprises," Flurry stage whispered to me. I tried to appear excited but I was so drained from the day; three more hives, all empty. As I knew they'd be.

"We're going to the Grand Galloping Gala this year and we'll be bringing Lysandra this year. To introduce her to everypony," Cadence told us. I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth

"Really?" Flurry squealed. When her mother nodded she bounced off her stool and hugged me. "This is _so_ exciting!"

She wouldn't stop bouncing and since she was hugging me I was bouncing too. I didn't like it.

"Without my cloak?" I asked hesitantly. I really expected them to say no. That I had to wear it, lest ponies run in fear.

"Of course," Cadence agreed.

"Twilight is sending Rarity to make your dresses for the party too," Shining Armor added.

Without my cloak. I'd be going to a party as myself in a pretty dress….

Mother had told me for so long that they would never want me to be seen. That they'd keep me hidden. But that wasn't true, apparently.

What else had she been wrong about?

* * *

Starlight crept through the stony cavern that led to Maud and Mud Briar's underground home. The two of them had recently gotten hitched and were making huge careers in their respective fields.

"Hello? Maud?" Starlight called.

"Hello," a dull voice greeted. Starlight spun around to see Maud walking toward her. Never before had she been so happy to see the pony with the dull gray coat the purple mane.

"Maud!" she exclaimed and gave the mare a hug. Maud seemed to flinch at the touch so Starlight pulled back rather quickly. "Oops. Sorry."

"What are you doing here, Starlight?" Maud asked. Her saddlebags were bulging with new rocks. "I have some samples I really need to test."

"Oh, sorry. I was just wondering if could, like, crash at your place," Starlight laughed nervously. "I'm kinda between homes right now."

"No, thank you," Maud deadpanned and walked around her. Starlight stuttered for a moment.

"Uh, what?"

"No, you cannot stay at my place. I'm busy and do not have time for you."

"You don't have time for a friend?"

"No." Maud had reached her cavern. "Goodbye." Then she disappeared inside it, leaving Starlight to gape after a pony she thought she could rely on.

* * *

"Come on, come on, _come on_ ," Flurry groaned as I shoved oatmeal into my mouth. The pink princess was bopping around my room, barely able to contain her excitement over Rarity coming today.

"Okay, okay," I said around the food in my mouth and threw on my cloak. Flurry paused, giving it a weird look, before she bounded out the door, me on her heels.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I trotted to keep up with her.

"Rarity's studio, of course," Flurry giggled as we turned a corner into a new wing of the palace (great, even _more_ to remember). "She's made all my dresses since I was a foal. So a few years back Mom turned one of the rooms into a studio for her. She, Rarity that is, was thinking of opening a boutique here but she never got around to it. And not many ponies here care about high fashion."

"Cool," I replied, just to reply.

Eventually we reached a violet door with three diamonds inlaid in the wood. Flurry pushed open the door and we found Cadence inside talking with Rarity, a white unicorn with a violet mane that curled over her shoulder and a matching tail. Her long eyelashes looked like fans and she had a pair of red glasses covering her dark blue eyes.

"Hello girls," Cadence greeted. Rarity turned and simply lit up at seeing Flurry.

"Darling, you're so tall!" she exclaimed as she came over to hug her. Her fake French accent drove me up a wall. I could do a much better impression. "Soon you'll be taller than me."

"Don't worry, Miss Rarity, you can just wear stilts," Flurry laughed.

"I'd have to design a whole new ensemble for that," Rarity tutted then turned to me. "You must be Lysandra. Here, darling, take off your cloak so I can look at you."

I hesitated but Flurry and Cadence nodded encouragingly behind her.

My green aura enveloped the black fabric and I pulled it off of my body. Rarity paused, her critical eyes taking me in.

"Blue, definitely blue," she finally said and started walking around me. "You've got a good frame which will support a skirt very nicely. You're hooves are quite original; not many mares have hooves that are a different color than their coat. We will definitely be showing those off. And _accessories_! Oh, I'm thinking a circlet with dangling teardrop sapphires!"

"Wait," I interrupted. "You still want to make a dress?"

"Well of course, darling," she said, looking confused as she came back to stand in front of me. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because I'm….not normal," I forced out. Rarity chuckled a bit.

"Darling, is that all?" she asked. "So you are different. I know plenty of different ponies and creatures. I teach hippogriffs how to sew and have a dragon for a friend. One of my best friends is married to the Lord of Chaos and I have seen changelings turn into all manner of beats. You are certainly not the most _unusual_ creature I have met and I think you have great potential. I'm sure you'll look stunning for the party."

I was frozen in place, her words repeating in my head over and over again.

"Really?" I asked and my voice cracked (why did it do that?).

"Really," Rarity confirmed and pulled out a tape measure from the cabinets all around the room. "Now, let's take your measurements!"

* * *

It was late afternoon and I was lounging in my room. Rarity had kicked us out, as she needed quiet to work. Flurry Heart was off opening a school and there was no one else for me to spend my time with unless I snuck into the dungeons to visit Nanny. But that would become unsafe the more I did it; guards would become suspicious.

Suddenly my door opened. I jumped, my magic making my cloak fly across the room like a bullet. But it was just Princess Cadence.

"Oh, Lysandra, I wasn't sure if you were in here," she said, seeming startled. "You know you can leave your room if you want; wander around and such."

"Sorry," I muttered. "Wait. If you wasn't sure I was here why'd you come in?"

"I was going to leave this for you," she explained and levitated a small box into view. "Shining Armor wanted me to give it to you but he's busy today. He wants you to have it."

The box was old, a sort of hard cardboard rubbed raw with age. I levitated the lid off and stared at the thing inside. It was a necklace with a magenta gem on a silver chain. The six-pointed star that was on his cutie mark.

"It's beautiful," I gasped. "Why didn't he give it to me himself?"

"Well….," Cadence sighed. "I may be overstepping but Shining Armor feels you don't really like him."

"What?" He was more observant than I gave him credit for.

"I keep telling him he just needs to spend time with you…. And he will. I promise. But he wanted me to give you that. A gift to welcome you to the family."

I stared at the gem. "To the family?"

"Of course. You're his daughter, aren't you?" Cadence was smiling that soft smile she had. "Now, I'm sorry to go but I have a royal meeting with some trades ponies in a few minutes."

"Thank you, Princess Cadence," I called out as she left. But she paused as she opened the door.

"You can call me 'Mom' if you want, Lysandra," she told me then left.

" _Call me Mother, child, for that is what I shall be to you from now on."_

With Mother it had been an order. With Cadence it was an option, up to me. And Cadence had the consideration to help me in meetings with alicorns, give me jewels, and be the first to trust me.

A green aura, mine, enveloped the necklace. It levitated and fell over my head till it rested right over my front, the gem twinkling in the light.

I decided right then that I would call her Mom. But only for the charade.

Obviously.

* * *

With Cadence's, Mom's, endorsement I began to venture into the palace by myself. I got lost in halls with soaring ceilings and found a room with royal portraits. There was a library and more parlors then I could count.

Eventually, I found set of stairs that led to an outdoor rectangular stadium. A sign said it had been built for the Equestria Games but was now used for royal guard training. There was a track around the perimeter and fitness equipment littered the grass in the center. Nopony was around so I walked over and began examining all the supplies.

In the center was a wooden rack with five rubber tipped sabers. Curious, and maybe a little foolishly, I used my horn to levitate one. A dummy stood a few feet away. Smiling as I played, I pretended to stab it. But it was too hard with my stupid cloak. Making sure no pony was around, I tossed it off and pretend to win the duel.

"Woohoo!" I whisper-screamed. "And that ultimate dueling champion is Lysandra!"

I stabbed at the dummy a little more, then heard the sound of someone levitating another of the swords. I spun around, afraid I'd been caught, and saw Shining Armor standing behind me, sword pointed at my chest. For a moment I thought he was going to hurt me, but then I noticed his teasing grin.

"En gard, Lysandra," he laughed. I smiled, a real smile, the first one I'd had with him. I stabbed my own sword at him.

"En gard, Shining Armor," I cackled and began swinging.

He was good. Much better than I. But even so, he let me 'win' for a few moments. But then he hit me sharply on the side, stunning me, and jumped up to hit my sword away. Before my magic could reclaim it, his did, and he had two swords pointing at my chest.

"Guess I was no match for the Captain of the Royal Guard," I sighed, pretending to be sad. But I was laughing and so was he.

"You actually did pretty good," he admitted, putting the swords back on their rack. "Much better than some recruits on their first day."

"Maybe I should join up," I joked. Shining Armor looked at me strangely. "What?"

"It's nothing," he assured me and returned the swords to their rack. "You're wearing the necklace."

"Oh!" I exclaimed, looking at the jewel resting against my chest. "Uh, yeah. Thank you."

And, for the charade I added, "Mother never gave me anything like it."

"You still call her Mother," Shining noticed, turning back to me.

"Old habits die hard, I guess."

"I suppose." He seemed lost in thought before he spoke again. "Lysandra, do you like it here? I realize now we never really asked if you even _wanted_ to join the family."

"Where else would I go?"

"There's many places all over Equestria and beyond that you could go to."

"Nopony would accept me, you know that."

"We accept you."

"Please," I scoffed. "You only kept me here because I'm your daughter. Flurry wasn't terrified of me just because she wanted a sister. And Cadence, Mom, loves literally every creature. I'm sure she'd console a rock if it was having a bad day."

Shining Armor was stunned.

"Yes, I kept you here because you're my daughter," he began as I rolled my eyes. "But now I see that you're a capable young mare, one who could easily join the royal guard even. Flurry has had chances with other fillies before. She never connected with her cousin, Dawn Decade, and all the other fillies in her class didn't really get her either. She's only had what she has with you _with you_. I don't think Flurry would like any other pony to be her sister.

"And yes, Cadence is very loving. But she sees something in you, Lysandra. Something that compels her to love you like a daughter.

"So yes, we accept who you are. Not just because you're my daughter. But because we're choosing you to be in our family."

Why couldn't I suddenly think clearly? Why was there water on my cheeks? Why did I suddenly want to hug him when, in reality, I'd been told he was one of the cruelest ponies ever?

"I…I need to go," I muttered and took off running. But before I left I turned back. "Thank you, Dad."

For the charade.

Obviously.


	7. Dresses and Heartbreak

Chapter Seven: Dresses and Heartbreak

The Gala was in three days and suddenly I didn't think I'd be able to play my part in Mother's plan. It was night and as I laid in bed, failing to fall asleep, I couldn't help but smile at the memory of dinner. Flurry glowing about our travel plans, Shinning suggesting I sign up for the next round of royal guard recruits, and Cadence blinking back tears of joy.

They had welcomed me into a home that I never thought could be mine. A home I had envied and wanted to destroy for so many years.

A home so unlike the one I had had.

Oh, what would happen if I failed Mother? If I didn't do what she wanted she could kill me. She had threatened to banish me before when I had questioned the plan at age eleven.

But…there was a chance I could halt her plan. If I really tried to, I could stop her for good.

This was impossible!

Filled with anxiety, I shapeshifted into a guard and left my room, heading toward the one pony who could help calm my racing heart.

* * *

Trixie was MIA. Discord was impossible to reach. A changeling had told her that Thorax was too busy for guests at the moment. And nearly everypony she passed had gone out of their way to run into her on the road.

Starlight sunk onto a curb in some random town she was passing through and began to cry. The moon was high up overhead and there was no ponies left on the street. She was alone. Truly alone.

Her friends had left her.

* * *

The dungeon was dark and cold. But Nanny was still awake, staring up at the ceiling with her pupil-less purple eyes.

"Why are you here?" she asked me as I sat in front of the bars of her cell, shedding my guard disguise. "I told you it was too dangerous."

"I need to talk to you," I admitted. "Mom and Dad and Flurry are…making things confusing."

"Mom and Dad?" Nanny repeated as she sat up to face me. "You are that familiar with them already?"

"Uh, kind of," I admitted, awkwardly shuffling my hooves on the cold rough ground. "They've been so nice and welcoming-"

"Lysandra," Nanny sternly interrupted, narrowing her eyes. "How long have you known these ponies?"

"A few weeks."

"Not long at all. Her majesty has known them much longer and _knows_ they are not welcoming nor accepting."

"But-"

"Ponies lie," Nanny reminded me, "just as much as we do."

I didn't say anything. I just turned and left.

* * *

"I'm _so_ glad I was able to finish these in time," Rarity simpered as she levitated Mom, Flurry, and I our gowns for the Gala. "I even finished with two days to spare."

Two more days before the Gala. Nothing terrifying about that at all. Just the culmination of everything I'd worked for my entire life.

Nope. I was totally fine.

"Rarity, you've outdone yourself!" Cadence exclaimed as she looked at the gown.

"Oh, pish posh," Rarity laughed. "You won't _really_ know until you try them on. So go one. Go, go!"

Flurry laughed as Rarity nudged her behind a changing screen. I walked behind another, closing my eyes as silk fell over my body. I quickly snapped buttons into placed and made sure everything fit. But even then I hesitated before stepping out.

"Ooh, Miss Rarity, it's perfect!" Flurry giggled from the other side of the screen. I could imagine her grin at the dress made just for her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Flurry, don't strangle her," Cadence chided as I heard her emerge. "But they really are lovely, Rarity."

"Lysandra, come on!" Flurry suddenly yelled. I gulped before I came out.

"Well?" I squeaked, my eyes clamped shut. I didn't want to look. I didn't want to see how ugly I looked in silk.

"Open your eyes, you silly goose," Flurry laughed.

I blinked them open and nearly jumped a foot in the air.

Standing in front of the mirror was a pony wearing a navy blue dress. Its skirt fell over her rump and to the floor, stitched with glittering light blue sapphires. The bodice was tight and shimmering, with strings tying it tight in the front. On her feet were delicate silver slippers studded with even more sapphires.

"Finishing touch," Rarity suddenly said and a silver circlet with dangling sapphires was placed on her, the cool gems touching her forehead.

"That's me?" My voice was cracking.

"Of course," Flurry said. "Who else would it be?"

I….I was…

"Beautiful," Cadence told me, slinging a hoof across my shoulders.

Her dress was a deep amethyst with regal sleeves and a bell skirt. Mini replicas of the crystal heart were sewn along the hem and a gold piece of fabric accented the bodice.

"We all are!" Flurry declared, bouncing into the mirror. Her dress was sky blue to match her eyes. Pink and purple ruffles decorated the skirt and she wore a snowflake necklace as well.

"Thank you so much Rarity," Cadence said.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all, darling," she insisted. "Though I did have some ideas for mane styling. Their over here in my bag."

Rarity and Cadence headed deeper into the studio to look at sketches while Flurry and I continued to admire ourselves.

"This is going to be the best Gala ever!" Flurry exclaimed.

"Yeah," I agreed, still looking at the dress, not remembering what was supposed to happen at the Gala. And what role I would play in it.

"Oh, I was meaning to ask you something," Flurry suddenly said, turning to me.

"Shoot."

"I was reading up on changelings a while ago and it said they can shapeshift. Can you?"

"Into other ponies. Not objects or other animals, though," I sighed.

"Can you show me?"

"Uh, sure."

Thank Celestia I'd been keeping up with my drills while at the palace.

The first disguise I chose was a common crystal pony, one with a turquoise coat and blond mane. Flurry's jaw literally dropped.

Next, a filly with pigtails.

A pegasus missing a leg.

When I turned into Arrow she turned scarlet.  
Over her shoulder I could see Rarity and Cadence still talking. A wicked idea suddenly came to me.

"Wow!" Flurry exclaimed as I turned into her mother. "You look just like her."

"Flurry, stop making a mess and go clean up your toys," I told her, pointing my hoof like I'd seen the princess do before. "I'm attending an event for some sick ponies so I won't be around."

"You even sound like her!" Flurry was beyond excited. It was nice to have somepony who thought my powers were cool, not weak. "This _so_ amazing. I wish I could shapeshift."

I smiled at her and was about to do another impression when a green horn-blast suddenly sent me flying backward. I hit the wall with a thud and collapsed to the ground.

Pain. So much pain….

Dimly I heard Rarity screaming and Flurry yelling but my ears were ringing too much to make anything out clearly. When I was able to see clearly I saw Cadence standing over me, her horn blazing blue light, with the angriest expression I'd ever seen on her face. Her emotions were like a tidal wave as they blasted off of her. I sensed anger and hatred but also fear and panic.

"Change!" she ordered, lowering her horn threateningly. "Change, you imposter!"

Green fire engulfed me and in moments I was back to my normal self.

Cadence heaved a breath and sat back, seeming stunned to see me. Her horn stopped glowing and Rarity dashed forward to support her as her knees gave out.

"Lysandra? But why….?" she trailed off as Rarity led her to a chair to rest on.

"I asked her to do it, Mom," Flurry assured her as she helped me stand. My ears were still ringing and I could tell I would have bruises but I wasn't too badly injured. "It was my fault."

Flurry looked truly stunned by her mother's actions, if not heartbroken. I suppose one would if they saw their mother blast someone across the room for the first time. I probably was as well. Only I had been so much younger.

"Lysandra…I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me," Cadence whispered, tears filling her perfect eyes. And as I looked at her I felt something start to burn in my chest.

"Mom, why did you…" Flurry couldn't finish.

"The last time I saw another version of me, a doppelganger, was when Queen Chrysalis replaced me and nearly killed your Dad. Seeing you, Lysandra, I became so afraid. For him. For my kingdom. For everything."

"I…" It was hard for me to get the words out. "I understand."

"Lysandra…," Cadence pleaded, starting to reach for me.

"I have to go," I forced out and ran out of the room, grabbing my cloak to make sure I was covered.

Back in the Emerald Room I paced around. Something was roaring through me, something painful and dark. Soon it had me yanking off my dress so fast, I tore it. I broke vases, shattered those _stupid_ mirrors and burnt my bed frame with my magic.

And as I sat in the rubble I had made I realized what I was feeling. Betrayal. Disillusionment.

* * *

"You're back," Nanny commented when I walked into the dungeons that night. She paused as she took in the emotions boiling inside of me. "And you're determined."

"Everything is in place for our plan," I told her. "Just thought you should know it will go off without a hitch."

"Wonderful."


	8. A Plan Set in Motion

Chapter Eight: A Plan Set in Motion

Starlight walked off the train and looked at the sweeping town before her. Sire's Hollow was still the quaint little town she'd grown up in with the stone buildings and their pointed roofs. The only thing that was different was she normally visited with Sunburst at her side.

 _Move past the pain, Starlight. Come on._

She pushed her way through the tall iron gate that creaked. The worker pony most not have been maintaining it.

Down a winding dirt road was her old house. It had shiny glass windows and a pine tree by the front steps. Oh, how many hours she'd wasted reading under that tree. She tried the knob but it was locked. Knocking produced no results as well.

"You looking for Firelight?" a quiet voice whispered. Starlight turned to see a pale lavender unicorn mare standing on the road pushing along a foal carriage.

"Uh, yeah," Starlight replied, walking up to her. The sleeping foal in the cart had its mother's coat and a dark black mane. "Do you know when he'll be back?"

"Oh, I couldn't say," the mare tutted, shaking her loose blue curls. "He left a while ago on some epic journey. Said it was like a midlife crisis and he had to go see Equestria."

"Well…," Starlight drifted off. That didn't sound like her dad at all. "Do you know how I can reach him?"

"No, he said he had to do it solo," the mare answered and began to walk away. "Something about truly connecting with the land. Anyway, toot-aloo!"

"Yeah, sure," Starlight sighed and began her walk back to the train station.

It wasn't till she was there that she had no idea where to go next. Coming to Sire's Hollow had been her last resort.

She had no pony else to turn to.

Crying, Starlight boarded a train. She had no idea where she was going. Just that she needed to be in motion.

As she buried her face in her hooves she overheard two mares gossiping at another window.

"I heard the Carousel Boutique actually _sold out_ of gowns," one of them laughed. "Can you believe it?"

"Hardly," the other chuckled. "But I heard that Songbird Serenade will be performing. Golly, can you imagine getting to see her? In _real life_!"

"No even a bit," her friend sighed. "Gee, I wish we'd been invited to the Gala."

"Pity we don't know anypony important enough to go," the second agreed.

Starlight suddenly jumped. The Gala! How could she have been so stupid? All her friends would be there, the ones missing and the ones who had abandoned her.

This was her last chance!

* * *

"So we'll leave tomorrow early in the morning," Cadence told us as we ate dinner. It was the day before the Gala and she was going over the travel plans with Flurry and I. Shining was out getting the guards ready (he was bringing some of his own). "Make sure you two get plenty of sleep. _No_ shenanigans."

"Yes, Mom," Flurry drawled, sticking a carrot in her mouth. "You tell me this _every year_."

Flurry was a brat. I saw that clearly now. And Cadence (not _Mom_ ) was a huge fake.

"Since we have to be up early I think I'm going to turn in now," I announced and stood from the table. I'd barely eaten; I was now sick to my stomach whenever I saw this chipper family.

"Oh," Flurry said. "Okay. Night."

"Yeah," I muttered, swinging on my cloak. Last day wearing it.

On my way back to my room I counted how many guards I saw and recalled how many would be out tonight. Because tonight our plan began.

* * *

The halls were dark and I looked just like every other guard in the halls. Nopony blinked twice when they saw me.

This time, though, I wasn't going to visit Nanny.

The guard barracks were deep in one of the legs of the palace. The halls were plan with gray walls and dark doors. There was almost nopony in the halls as I walked down them. I opened the closest door and stepped in. The whole room was stretched before me with over fifty bunk beds. Sleeping stallions rested on the mattresses, some snoring, others drooling. The room stretched the full length of the hall I was just in, all the way to the back.

Silent as a mouse, I crept to the window in the center of the room. I used my wings to fly to the glass above the beds and quickly opened it. I couldn't' help but glance at the pony sleeping beneath me. Arrow. I swallowed quickly and stretched the window farther open.

As soon as I moved back a swarm of gnat flew in, buzzing silently, a single one landing on each bed. Then, as quick as they had entered, they turned back into changelings.

"Go, before they notice you are awake," the general instructed. I nodded and quickly left the room, trying not to imagine Arrow getting kidnapped and tortured by Mother's minions. He wasn't the worst pony, after all.

But it was too late to turn back now. The plan had begun.

* * *

"Time to go, Lysandra!" Flurry's insanely high voice called as she entered my room, waking me. I groaned, having just fallen asleep. For some reason my mind wouldn't shut up so I was exhausted.

"Goodie," I muttered and sat up.

"Come on, come on, come _on_!" Flurry pestered as I climbed out. "Mom packed us food for the trip on the train and she and Dad are waiting outside right now. We gotta move!"

"Give me two minutes, Flurry," I said and shuffled into the bathroom. The mirror that had used to hang on the wall had long ago been removed so it was just me and the crystal.

I tried to stay there as long as I could. For some reason I felt so heavy when I thought about today, like I was going to sink to the ground and break. But Flurry kept rapping on the door so I got ready extra quick. Then we headed downstairs to where Cadence and Shining Armor were waiting, along with an escort of guards.

The procession to the train was quick. Everypony else was asleep so we didn't see any others. The train was already waiting for us and we had our own private car. Shining Armor looked around first, ensuring it was safe, before Cadence and Flurry entered. I was last and as I walked through the door I passed one of the guards. I glanced up at him and as I did his eyes flashed green.

A changeling.

I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat and quickly entered the car, shutting the door hard after me. Then we were off.

* * *

The ride was long and boring. As soon as we arrived guards hustled us into the castle so we could get ready for the party. We only had about an hour to do so and Flurry was worried that Rarity wouldn't have time to do her mane.

But the unicorn was not to be deterred. She wove it into a beautiful braid that dangled over Flurry's pink shoulder. Cadence's mane was adorned with gems and her crown while I quickly changed.

"Oh, darling!" Rarity suddenly exclaimed. She was pointing at my navy skirt that had a huge tear in it. "Don't worry, I'll fix it."

"You don't have-" I started but she was already levitating a sewing needle and stitching it back up. It only took about a minute and when she was done it looked as good as new.

"There. Perfect," the unicorn declared and stepped back to look at me. "Now, what are you doing with your mane?"

"Oh, I was just gonna leave it."

"What?" Flurry screeched. "No way, sis! It's the Gala; you've gotta to be super-duper fancy!"

"What did you have in mind?" I asked. I just wanted this night to be over.

"Well, I'm thinking we pull these two sections up front to the back," Rarity mused, moving my mane as she talked. "That way the circlet is much more visible and everypony can see your face."

My ugly, messed up, cross-breed face. Great.

"Sure," I found myself saying and Rarity quickly tied it all up. By the time she was done I looked actually kind of pretty. But it all felt so fake.

"Don't forget this," Cadence reminded me and handed me my necklace, the pink star one. It felt cold on my hoof and I could barely stand to put it on. I did, though, imagining the look on Shining's face when I shattered it under my hoof at the party tonight.

"You ready for this?" Flurry asked me as we approached the door. Her hoof was slung across my shoulders, something she had done so many times before. But now was the last time. "I'm so excited. Maybe I'll even dance with Arrow tonight!"

"Are you nervous at all?" Cadence added as she joined us. "We'll be announcing you as soon as we go in. Shining will explain everything to the crowd while we're on stage together."

"As a _family_ ," Flurry squealed. I refrained from rolling my eyes.

Just a little longer.

"Let's do this," I told them and pushed open the door to the hall that would lead us to the stage.

I was ready.


	9. Grand Galloping Gala

Chapter Nine: The Grand Galloping Gala

The Grand Galloping Gala was in full swing when Starlight Glimmer arrived. She managed to sneak past where Princess Celestia and Twilight were shaking hooves with all the guests. She just wasn't ready to confront her yet.

The ballroom was decorated the nines with a large buffet of food, a shiny dance floor, and elegant silk streamers wrapped around the poles. Starlight certainly didn't enter, with her last minute cheap green dress and ratty mane she had struggled to brush.

Then, all at once, she noticed her friends. Or at least, her ex-friends.

Maud and Mud Briar were doing and awkward shuffling slow dance on the dance floor as Pinkie Pie bopped around them.

Trixie was flirting up a storm with a stallion near the DJ booth.

Discord and Fluttershy were eating veggie snacks from the buffet while Thorax was discussing something with Spike at a table.

And Sunburst was there too. Standing on the far side of the ballroom, talking with a cream colored mare with a red mane and thick black glasses. He was awkwardly smiling at her, as if he didn't know what to do.

A phantom knife stabbed Starlight and she nearly broke down in tears. Before she could humiliate herself, though, she retreated to a table in the back corner.

"I'll just sit here," she muttered to herself, "until I'm ready to go talk to them."

But that ended up taking over thirty minutes and Starlight began to wonder if she'd ever be ready.

* * *

I was busy counting stitches in the purple curtains before me so I didn't notice Shining Armor going us or Flurry giving me what I think was and encouraging hug. But I came back to my sense when Cadence stepped forward and started speaking to me.

"We'll just say a few things about who you are and how we've taken you in," she explained, "and how you are one of us now. Then Shining Armor will introduce you, the curtains will pull back, and you'll enter."

Something seemed to be lodged in my throat so I just nodded.

"Don't be nervous," she added, smiling that smile she has that just makes you feel at peace. But that night it failed to work. "They'll love you."  
 _They wouldn't. But Mother finally might._

Flurry hugged me one last time before she and her parents stepped through the slit in the curtains and onto the stage. The murmur of voices quieted as everypony noticed them.

"Everypony, if you would please lend us an ear, my family has an announcement to make that will affect all of Equestria," Shining Armor announced.

"Recently we were visited by a young mare just a little older than Flurry," Cadence began. "She claimed to be the daughter of Shining Armor and…Queen Chrysalis."

Gasps and screams filled the room. My stomach knotted again.

What could stop me from leaving right now? I was all alone behind the curtain so I could really just run and nopony would notice. Cadence and Shining Armor would appear to be liars. All the other changelings could move into attack. And I…I could be safe.

But what then? Would I go crawling back to Mother, expecting forgiveness? No, I'd be even more hated than before. I had to fulfill my part in the plan, lest risk banishment, isolation, and ridicule from Mother and the hive, my only home.

"Yes, we were just as shocked at you," Cadence assured the crowd. "It appears that while Queen Chrysalis was impersonating me all those years ago she took advantage of my husband and conceived the first ever pony-changeling."

"This mare has suffered years of emotional and physical abuse from the changelings all because she was different," Shining Armor continued. "Then she became brave enough to leave her home and seek me out. My daughter has become an amazing resource and is helping us fight the last swarm of evil changelings still left in our nation."

"But more than that," Flurry picked up, "she is a kind soul who has become such a wonderful and integral part of our family. We love her and wouldn't be whole without her."

I could feel the love pouring off of them from behind the curtain. It was stronger than any emotion I'd ever felt.

And it was directed at _me_.

 _They love me. Mother_ never _loved me. I've never felt anything like this from her. I…I can't do this!_

"May I introduce for the first time our daughter, Lysandra!" Shining Armor exclaimed and the curtain suddenly pulled back, revealing me in my fancy dress to the whole Gala.

 _No, no, no, no, no!_

Everywhere, I could see them. All the Canterlot guards were tied up in a closet somewhere so only Crystal Empire guards were lining the ballroom. But they were all changelings in disguise, waiting to strike!

And it was all my fault.

I ran up to Shining Armor quickly, nearly tripping on my dress, ignoring the ponies clapping below us.

"I've done something terrible," I gasped. "Please, we need to get every pony out of here. It isn't safe!"

"What are you talking about? What have you done?" Cadence asked.

"Just get everypony to leave, _please_ ," I begged.

But it was too late.

Out in crowds a young mare was creeping forward, her black dress trailing over her grey coat, her blue mane braided over her shoulder. Even disguised, I could tell who she was. That glimmer in her eyes was always the same. I began to shake in my shoes as she approached, like an eel slithering through the sea.

"No, no, no, no," I whimpered.

The mare reached the front of the stage and began to laugh.

"Oh, what a pretty picture the four of you make," she chuckled. "The three perfect royals _generously_ opening up their home to the abandoned misfit."

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Cadence asked coolly. I stepped back like the coward I was.

"I'm surprised you don't recognize me, Cadence," the mare remarked, quirking a thin eyebrow. "After all, I'm the reason your husband wasn't a _pure soul_ on your wedding night."

"Chrysalis," Cadence gasped.

"Bingo," she laughed.

Green fire suddenly erupted around her. The grey limbs stretched into black ones filled with holes. Her blue mane turned teal and cobwebby. A crooked black horn grew out of her head and she sprouted sheer blue bug wings. A black crown was perched atop her tall head and her sharp teeth were shown off in her evil grin.

Mother.

"Hello again."

"You have no place here, Chrysalis," Shining Armor growled, is horn lowering as he stepped forward. "You're outnumbered."

"Am I?" she quipped.

Instantly, all the guards turned into changelings. They raced through the ballroom, subduing ponies faster than lighting. Not even the princesses stood a chance. In a blink of an eyes, they were tied up with hardening green ooze.

Shining Armor stepped back.

Cadence quickly reached out and pulled Flurry back towards the curtains. With her wing she began to do the same to me, sending Mother into fits of laughter.

"Oh, don't you know?" she asked. "My dear daughter Lysandra is the one to blame for this. Come forward, dear."

Flurry looked like her heart was breaking. Shining Armor turned to me, mirroring his wife's face of betrayal and shock.

"Lysandra…?" he gaped, watching me walk toward Mother on shaky legs.

"I'm so sorry," I replied, my eyes feeling strangely moist.

"No…," Flurry muttered. "But I thought…"

"You believed lies, you silly filly," Mother cackled as I stopped in front of her. She lowered her head so she could look me in the eye. Her smile looked positively mad but it was the nicest one she had ever given me. "I must admit, Lysandra, I wasn't quite sure you could pull this off."

Of course she wasn't. Of course the first thing she says to me after me being away for a while is an insult.

"But you managed to play your part and serve your purpose. Congratulations."

"Are you…pleased?" I asked cautiously.

"I will be once my enemies are vanquished," Mother snarled. "How about you handle little Miss Perfect Princess," she nodded at Flurry Heart, "while I handle the other three."

"Three?" Cadence repeated.

"Of course," Mother said, turning to the crowds tied up behind her. "I must first deal with Starlight Glimmer. At least, more than I already have."

"Me?" Starlight gasped.

She was tied up in a corner, away from the other ponies, exactly where she'd been standing when Chrysalis had made herself known.

"Of course, _you_ ," the queen snarled and launched herself at the purple pony, her hooves hitting the ground right in front of her prisoner. " _You_ ruined everything. _You_ took away my hive! And for that, _I_ took away _yours_!"

"My hive?" What….?"

"Your friends! Your loved ones!" Chrysalis shouted, getting in Starlight's face. I flinched at the display. This was so much worse than when she'd ranted to me back at the hive. "Haven't you noticed how lonely you've been lately, Miss Glimmer?"

"Sunburst dumping me, Twilight abandoning me, Maud kicking me out, nopony being there for me….," Starlight muttered. "That was all you?"

"Wait, me dumping you?" Sunburst exclaimed from his confines across the room. "I never dumped you! You left me a note saying how you were done with me and had moved out while I was at work!"

"I don't recall you coming to my house," Maud added in her monotone voice.

"Technically, she is correct," Mud Briar put in.

"When did you come see me?" Twilight wondered.

"It was all you!" Starlight suddenly gasped, staring at Chrysalis.

"Of course it was," she chuckled darkling. "That drone I sent to impersonate Sunburst wasn't even that convincing. I'm shocked you fell for it. And my, was it ever easy to break your fragile heart when you came running back to Twilight. I have _no_ idea how you beat me the first time!"

"I….I…."

"Mother, is this truly necessary?" I finally spoke up. "You've gotten your revenge on her and broken her. You'll only be happy when she's dead."

Mother's glare hurt nearly as much as it would've if she had hit me.

"Don't you _dare_ question my methods of revenge," she hissed, stalking towards me. "I have allowed you a very long leash, my linchpin. You should be thanking me I'm allowing you the honor to kill their sniveling daughter."

"Of course, Mother," I mumbled. "I apologize."

"Since you are so eager for death, go ahead," Mother instructed and pointed a black hoof at Flurry Heart as she stopped next to me. "End her."

"Over my dead-" Shining began but Mother simply blasted him and Cadence with her horn, encasing them in hard green ooze.

"Now, now, dear Shining," she tutted. "We wouldn't want to interrupt _our_ daughter on her big day, now would we?" Mother calmly sat next to him, absently stroking his mane. Shining looked absolutely furious. "Go ahead, Lysandra. I want to see you do it."

Flurry looked terrified. Her back was pressed against the purple curtain and tears were forming in her brilliant blue eyes.

"We were friends….sisters even," Flurry blubbered as her tears started to fall. "I thought…I thought you _liked me_ , at least. I li…liked you. I _love_ you, Lysandra."

She wasn't making this easy, I'll give her that.

But Mother was watching, petting a stallion I wanted to call Dad, about to kill him and the mare I wished was my real mom. And if I failed….I'd be next on the chopping block. If I even showed a slight bit of weakness, I would be done away with.

"I lied, Flurry," I told her, forcing my voice to sound like ice. "I lied about everything. I never cared about you or your parents. I was only _using_ you."

"But….B-but."

"B-but nothing," I snarled. _I have no choice_. "Try to at least….die with some dignity."

"I don't believe you'll do it," Flurry insisted, her tears falling faster now. "I…I trust you."

"Your…," my voice cracked. "Your mistake."

Mother was watching. Everpony was watching. And I had Flurry at my mercy as my horn began to glow green.

Aim. Breath. _Fire_.

The light blasted straight through the air and hit its mark. She fell to the ground, winded. My blast hadn't been strong enough, I could tell by the way she was still breathing. But I had hit. I had _hit_ her.

Mother stood on shaky legs, her head whirling back to glare at me. Safe and unharmed against the curtain, Flurry was beaming at me.

"I knew it," she whispered before charging forward and giving me a huge hug.

"Disguising," Mother growled, firing a beam from her horn at us. I pushed Flurry to the side and stood over top of her, facing my mother with a deadly glare of my own. "Absolutely _disgusting._ You're a traitor! A filthy traitor and a _disappointment_! I cannot believe I birthed such a revolting creature such as _you_!"

Strangely enough, her words didn't hurt me as much as they always had.

"I don't care what you say," I laughed at her, shaking my head. "Because I am _done_ trying to please you and be enough for you."

I fired my horn and Mother dodged. But rather than hit her I hit what I had aimed for. The ooze imprisoning Shining Armor and Cadence. They broke out of their bonds and instantly lighted their horns.

"Keep back," Cadence ordered.

"Like heck," I replied, walking forward to stand with them. "I am not going to run away from her anymore."

"Fine," Shining Armor caved then turned to his youngest daughter. "Flurry, go."

"If you're all staying then so am I," she declared, her own horn lighting up blue to match her mother's.

"How cute," Chrysalis (she had never deserved to be called Mother) simpered. "Too bad it won't last long."

The changelings all around the ballroom cackled with evil laughter.

"Die traitor!" the queen screeched sending a blast of light straight toward my heart.

But my family reacted faster. All four of us sent a blast of our own, meeting Chrysalis's. We pushed with all our might and watched our colors take over hers, all the way to her horn. As they touched the twisted thing she screamed in pain and fell to the ground, the tip of her horn magically blasted off. Her eyes were closed in unconsciousness.

The changelings gasped as one and stared at their fallen queen.

"You don't have to listen to her; she is _beatable_ ," I told them. "You don't have to live under her tyranny anymore!"

A few of the changelings were nodding along but others were backing toward the exits.

"If you want to live in peace and be accepted for all of your differences, stay," I insisted, looking at Thorax who was smiling at me. "I think I know a place for you."

Some changelings crept forward, cautious smiles on their faces. The others rushed out of the exits.

"Guards!" Shining Armor yelled but I just shook my head.

"All of _your_ guards are captives in some hive and all the Canterlot guards are locked up in a closet somewhere," I told him. "You can't stop those rogue ones."

"Let's free the other ponies," Cadence suggested.

The four of us walked around the ballroom magically blasting away the ooze. All the changelings who had stayed drifted toward Thorax who began talking about his hive and how they could adjust to life there. Shining Armor went into the halls to find the guards so he could arrest and imprison Chrysalis while the princesses stood watch over her fallen body.

I left. Not the palace, just into the halls to find quiet.

Flurry found me not long after.

"So….," she said as she sat down. "How ya doing?"

"Flurry," I started. I was shaking. "I'm so sorry. I never…I never meant to….the thing is…"

"It's okay," Flurry told me, placing a foreleg around my shoulders. "Chrysalis had a plan using you to infiltrate us. Makes sense. And you were really convincing."

"I wasn't always acting," I insisted. "Later, I actually started to like you. Like you were really my sister and your parents were my parents. And I never…I never thought that could happen. I didn't realize you'd end up meaning that much to me. I just…"

"Your mother brainwashed you."

"She's not my mother anymore. I'm _not_ calling her that."

"See? You're already doing better!"

Flurry was smiling at me so I gave her one in return.

"Do you still….I mean…?"

"Love you? Of course. I knew you could never kill me. I saw something when we were hanging out. You were a lonely pony who just needed some love. I thought once you got it, you'd be okay."

"Guess you were right," I muttered.

"Girls," a stern voice said and we turned.

My insides turned to ice. _Oh crap_.

"We need to talk to Lysandra," Cadence explained, accompanied by the other three princesses and Shining Armor.

"Right," I said as I stood. "Yeah, of course."

I turned back to look at Flurry one last time, wondering if it was going to be the last time I saw her. She looked like she was wondering the same thing.


	10. Finally, a Family

Chapter Ten: Finally, a Family

"And that's what happened," I finished. "Honestly."

The six of us were sitting in a large conference room at a rectangular table. I couldn't help but notice I was the only pony on my side.

"I am really sorry," I added.

"We know," Celestia said, regarding me. "But that cannot excuse what you did."

"Endangering Equestria, lying, manipulating ponies, sneaking around to talk with a prisoner of war, nearly _killing_ Princess Flurry Heart," Twilight listed.

I stared at the wooden table. I couldn't look any of them in the eye.

"But she ended up saving us all," Cadence countered.

"And she tried to warn me before the attack happened," Shining Armor added. "She changed her mind before."

"True….," Celestia mused.

"Sister, if I may?" Luna interjected. The white alicorn nodded at the blue one. "When I returned from the moon after my imprisonment, you forgave me and accepted me back into your home. You understood why I had done what I did and forgave me. I think we must understand why Lysandra did what she did.

"Being raised by Chrysalis can be no easy feat. And you saw how she treated her in there. She clearly only saw Lysandra as a part of a plan. If she had never conceived the plan, this mare may have been kicked out of the hive and starved to death.

"When given the chance to have real love, Lysandra hesitated as she was raised to do. But when she realized your love was true, Cadence and Shining Armor, she tried to save you.

"I believe we need no further discussion. If Lysandra had not intervened, Chrysalis would have won. We owe this mare our life and our respect."

My jaw was no doubt on the floor.

Princess Luna, who had been against me from the start, was now advocating on _my_ behalf?

"Thank you, sister," Celestia replied and looked at the others. "I think Luna has said all that needs to be said."

"Agreed," Twilight commented while Cadence nodded. Then they turned to me.

"Clearly you were being manipulated by Chrysalis," Cadence said. "Therefore, we forgive you and would gladly welcome you back home."

"Really?" Sweet Celestia, I was about to cry.

"Really."

"Thank you," I gasped. I was still shaking but now from shock. I never thought ponies could be so good, especially to me.

"I do have one question," Shining Armor interjected. "Where are my guards?"

* * *

"Just through here," I said, leading Dad into a dark cold tunnel. "This hive in the frozen tundra was closest to the Crystal Empire so Chrysalis stashed them here."

"Are you sure they're still alive?" he asked me. Unsure of what he'd find, he wouldn't let anypony else on this journey.

"Of course," I replied, taking a left toward the dungeons. "A dead pony has no worth to us since they can no longer love."

A huge cavern stretched out before us and we entered slowly. Along the walls were what looked like stalls made out of stone with no doors. And standing in each was one of the missing guards. Their feet were stuck to the floor with the dark green ooze and their eyes had a green glaze over them. They didn't even appear to see us.

"What….what's wrong with them?" Dad whispered. It was much too creepy to talk at full volume.

"It's a state that happens when you've been repeatedly drained from," I explained. "They'll only respond to ponies they truly love."

"Can they be cured?"

"Yes. Just like how Cadence cured you; with the pony they love the most."

"How do we figure that out?"

"Just give me a moment with each of them," I explained. "I can sense who they love most, you just need to write it down.

Soon we had a list of roughly fifty names. In the last stall, though, was a guard that made me pause. Green Arrow.

I quickly read through his heart. There were his parents, his grandfather, a cousin or two and some friends. But they didn't come close to the pony who had stolen is heart.

"Well?" Dad prompted me. "Who is it?"

"Uh….your daughter."

* * *

"But that's impossible!" Flurry exclaimed. Boy did her voice echo in this private family parlor. "I can't be….He can't-"

"He loves you, Flurry," I interrupted. Mom and Dad looked on with amusement. "And you love him. And you're the only pony who can save him now."

"But-"

"Would you rather leave him there?"

"No," Flurry admitted, hanging her head and blushing scarlet. "I just…can't believe he really loves me."

"He'd be a fool not to," I laughed. "Now let's go save your new coltfriend."

"Hey! No teasing!"

I could only laugh. Oh, this felt good.

* * *

The ponies were unsure of entering the hive but they did for their loved ones. Soon enough they were hugging and kissing the stupefied guards, dragging them out of the changeling induced haze.

But at the last stall I found Flurry hesitating.

"What are you waiting for?" I asked.

"I'm just nervous," she admitted. "I've like him for so long, what if something goes wrong?"

"You love him and he loves you," I said. "It doesn't need to be any more complicated."

"You're right," she agreed and beamed. The love radiating off her was powerful; love for both Green Arrow and I. I was still sort of getting used to it.

I left as she bended toward him. Something told me a first kiss was something you wouldn't want witnessed by other ponies.

* * *

The dungeon was still dark and gloomy. My hooves echoed as I approached the cell.

"You've actually come to me before they kill me?" Chrysalis quipped as I stopped in front of the bars. Her broken horn was sparking and cuffs were locked around all of her hooves, the chains scraping the stone ground. She actually had the decency to sit up as I arrived.

Dad thought it was a terrible idea but Mom convinced him. And they were both right outside the dungeon if I needed them. But I needed to face her one last time.

"Celestia is coming tomorrow to move you to a secret and secure prison," I said, my voice monotone. "Nopony will ever see you again. And over half your original hive has moved to Thorax's hive. Including Nanny."

"How very amusing," she drawled, rolling her eyes. "Now why did you really come here? You're emotions are practically exploding off of you."

"I'm staying here," I told her. "And I'm going to be happy. I've found some good parents, parents who love me, and a sister. And you won't be able to bother me ever again."

"Oh, but I will," she laughed. "In your darkest night memories of me will haunt you, _abomination_."

But I just smiled. "Have you looked in the mirror lately? Cause you ain't a beauty queen yourself."

And with that I left. Outside the dungeon I fell into my parents' embrace and let their love wash over me.

Finally. I had a home. I had a family. I had _love_.

The End


End file.
